Fight For Me
by Toyhe' Noctus
Summary: It'd been nearly seven years since Queen Elsa last saw Anna and she never planned on seeing her face again. That all changes however when a house in her kingdom is suddenly destroyed by rogue ice magic. Elsanna. Not-Related AU. (My very first fanfic!)
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Frozen does not belong to me and this is purely a product of my imagination. What started out as a dream turned into this and I ran with it. This is also my first fanfic ever! Woo!

* * *

"Anna pass me that, would you?" an older man called over to the young woman standing a few feet away. She swept her strawberry blonde pigtails back, over her shoulder and took up a leather tome that they kept records in, passing it over to him. "Thanks Girl," he told her, hefting the large book onto the desk in front of him to go over with one of his customers. Anna nodded and smiled then turned and made her way into the back room to take inventory. The work day was coming to an end and all she had left to do was take stock of everything in the shop before she left. Half way through, a pad in hand and a quill between her lips, someone poked their head into the room.

"Almost done in here hun?" this time an older woman asked. Anna glanced back and nodded an affirmative.

"Won't be much longer now," she replied before she returned to counting the stock of spices.

"Don't go on too long now. You take excellent inventory in the morning and you keep track of everything going and coming throughout the day. You don't need to work yourself so hard," the older woman added, stepping inside the room.

"Oh I know Maeve but I like to check twice just to be sure," Anna stated with a giggle. "I just go crazy when I think something may have been misplaced in here."

"All right, well as soon as you're done, you can go. Synn's probably waiting on you," Maeve said before strolling back out into the shop. Anna quickly took stock of the rest of the produce in the backroom, blue-green eyes expertly shifting without a miss then practically flew back out to the shop to put the books away and grab her coat.

"I'll see you tomorrow Hadley! Maeve! Good night!" she called out to the shop keepers. Just as she was heading out the door, she heard Hadley call back a farewell in his deep, gruff voice. Anna stepped out into the warm air, a nice cool breeze blowing her fringe to the side. She swept them back then hurried down the cobblestone, saying her hellos and good days to other shop owners, workers, or people just out for an evening stroll. Most of them lit up at the very sight of her offering pleasantries of their own but tried not to keep her; they all knew where she was going.

"Hey there Anna! Tell Synn I said hello for me, would you?" a passerby greeted cheerily as she made her way through the streets.

"Will do sir!" Most of the passerbys said similar things but a handful of people simply averted their eyes from her or stared at her blatantly as she passed by. Anna would offer them a smile or a wave but they'd just ignore her and keep their greetings to themselves. She didn't press it though; she was lucky enough that the other people even respected her. After all, unwed mothers were the lowest of the low in Arendelle.

Anna stopped in front of a small school house and stepped inside where other mothers and fathers were waiting to pick up their children. Some of the parents gave her dirty looks but all the children beamed at her, smiling brightly at the very sight of her. "Hi Ms. Anna!" most of them greeted her. A blush coated her freckle dusted cheeks and she waved back to them, well aware that some of their parents didn't even appreciate the sight of her. Aside from being an unwed mother, she was also lower class financially. The other parents weren't exactly wealthy but it was just another reason to look down on her. She'd gotten used to the stares over time and they no longer affected her the way they had when she first started receiving them. In fact, she found it much more fun to answer their rudeness with a smile; it was disarming and it was hilarious.

Just then, a small hand latched onto her arm and Anna turned her head to look down into the eyes of her little girl. Big, bright icy blue eyes stared up at her, a large smile etched into the six years old's face. Anna leaned down and kissed the top of her head, right on the part in her strawberry blonde hair. "Hello Sweet Pea," Anna cooed, taking the child's small hand in her own.

"Good afternoon Momma," she replied excitedly though still quietly. She turned to her friends and waved to the other little children and then the two of them stepped out of the school house and proceeded towards home, the child chatting her mother up the whole way. Passersbys stopped to say hello to the two of them but they were walking up on a small, cozy home on the far side of town after only a few short minutes. Before they could open the door though, it swung open forcefully and out barrelled a large figure. He grabbed the child up and swung her around as she shrieked and then giggled in his arms. "Uncle Kristoff!" she shrieked as her large uncle settled her on his shoulders.

"Goodness Kristoff! You scared the ever living hell out of me!" Anna exclaimed, swatting her big brother on the arm playfully. "You said you weren't going to be back for another month."

"Yeah I know but Sven and I managed a pretty good haul all things considering so I decided to come in early. 'Sides, I wanted to surprise my favorite niece!"

"Did you bring me a present Uncle Kristoff?"

"Sure did Synnöve. Let's head inside and I'll show you," he replied, setting the girl down so that she could scurry in. Anna watched her head in and then she took her brother's arm as they walked in together.

"Soooo, what's the real reason you're back early," she prodded, knowing her brother well enough to tell when he was stretching the truth. Kristoff waited until the child had gone off to the bedroom to put down her knapsack and take off her shoes before answering.

"Wolves," he replied, coming loose from her hold and taking a seat. "The wolves have been pressing out of their usual territory and are making the routes more and more dangerous. I came in early to see if I could get the crown to do something about it. My business isn't the only one suffering from this either so she'll have to look into it," he added, his face going a little stern. Anna's gaze fell to her feet and her face dropped a little.

"Do you have to be the one to do it? Can't any of the other business owners go to her for you? I'd hate for her to turn you away because of me..." she said, playing with the ends of her pigtails.

"I'm not afraid of the ice queen," he replied sharply with a huff. "And she'll have to listen to me! A couple of caravans had to turn back because of the wolves which no doubt will begin to hurt trade with the countries to the North. She's not so stupid that she'd pass over this information just because of who it's coming from. Or at least, I hope not..." Anna was about to speak up again but they heard the tell tale pitter patter of soft steps as the child rounded the corner and rejoined the adults. "Ready for your present?" he asked the girl as she climbed into his nap and patiently nodded. "Alright, close your eyes," he told her as he reached into a satchel on the table and pulled something from it. He deposited the gift into her waiting hands and her brow shot up at the weight of it but her eyes remained closed.

"Can I open now?" she asked.

"Sure thing Kiddo." She opened up her eyes to see a beautiful silver snow globe containing a replica of the North Mountain inside. On the base, reindeer were etched into the silver and she could spy a tiny little reindeer inside climbing one face of the mountain. She gasped then brought it close to her face so that she could get an even better look at the detailing.

"Wooooooow. Is this the North Mountain?" she asked, her big eyes lighting up with joy. At her uncle's nod, she scampered off his lap and over to the window where she could see the mountain in the distance, peeking behind the clouds. "Thank you Uncle Kristoff," she said as she shook the snow globe then set it down on the sill to watch the tiny artificial snow flakes fall inside.

By time the sun had gone down and night had rolled around, she was out like a light. She did her numbers with her mother, went to wash, ate supper and then promptly fell asleep after her uncle read her a story. Kristoff stepped out of the room after tucking her in then tromped back into the living area where Anna was going over expenses for the month.

"I made enough to last us the next term. At least the queen hasn't destroyed the ice business," he said, coming up behind her to take a look. They were just barely scraping by but they had enough to eat at the end of the day and had clothes to wear. Synnöve was happy so Anna had nothing to complain about but she did feel terribly for her brother. He worked hard all day for weeks at a time out in the cold only to come back to town to get less silver than he'd like for his efforts then to go home where he didn't even have a bed to sleep on. When Anna was left on the street, just twenty years old and four months pregnant without so much as a bronze piece to her name, Kristoff didn't even hesitate to take his little sister in.

His home was small with only one bedroom but he surrendered it without a thought. Anna didn't want him to sacrifice so much for her but as he rightfully pointed out, no one else was going to take her in and no one else was going to look after her. It was a harsh truth that she had to accept; her name was tarnished for good. Kristoff made up a makeshift bed to sleep in in the living room by the fireplace. It wasn't ideal and sometimes it was killer on his back but he was warm and safe. In return, Anna looked for work as soon as she was strong enough after having her daughter. She tried to find work just a week after she was born but Kristoff practically wrestled her back home and made her stay inside until he deemed her fully fit and healthy to do so. Hadley and his wife Maeve took pity on the girl when she stepped into their shop, begging for a job. They gave her an apprehensive shot but she proved to be an irreplaceable asset and has been working for them for five years. The older couple would boot out anyone in their shop if someone so much as looked at Anna funny and dote on her and her daughter as if she were their own. Kristoff assured his sister she didn't have to work so hard but she couldn't just sit around while her brother struggled to provide for them.

Kristoff looked over a couple of the finances with her then went to set up his makeshift bed and wind down for the night. He snuggled under his quilt and Anna blew out the candles in the room and retired to the bedroom to sleep herself. She climbed into the bed alongside her daughter and gently brushed back her locks. Synnöve cuddled into her mother's side and Anna drifted off and joined her in sleep.

* * *

Bright and early, the queen rose as soon as the sun began to edge over the horizon. That morning, as was routine every morning, she stepped out of bed and into her adjoining bath suite. Her head maid Gerda laid out her clothing for the day while she washed then two of her younger maids helped to dress her and fix her hair into a tight bun. She rose her blue eyes and gazed at herself in the mirror. She was truly a sight to behold. Pretty pale skin, large expressive blue eyes, and a slim, lithe figure but her solemn, blank expression sucked much of the beauty right out of her features. As if a light had gone out within her, Elsa seemed to be a shell of her former self. With a sigh, she took her shawl and fastened it around her neck then made her way out of her room and through the many halls to the staircase.

The queen quietly took breakfast and then prepared herself to deal with the townspeople. "Your highness," her head butler, Kai greeted. He walked with her towards the throne room where she'd hold her court. "How are you feeling this morning? Are you up to it this morning? Shall I allow the people passage?" The queen seemed to pout and he couldn't help but smile. "Ms. Elsa, pouting is unbecoming of a queen." Elsa turned towards him and pouted right in his face earning a chuckle from him.

"I would rather not deal with it this morning but I've put it off long enough. As much as I'd like to, I can not hide from my people. Their concerns are mine, I am their queen and I must serve them," she answered regally, turning her gaze forward again. Kai smiled and nodded then opened up the queen's entrance into the throne room where a maid was waiting with her crown. Once the weighted gold was placed upon her head, Kai motioned for the doors to be opened. Elsa gripped her gloved hands into fists stressfully as she saw the eager faces waiting just outside. Herded by the guards, they were allowed in a few at a time to speak with their queen. Elsa took her seat, back straight and adopted an air of regal superiority, masking her uneasiness. She was an excellent queen, taking care of her people with easy flicks of her quill but her confidence on paper was boldly opposite to the anxiety she felt in the face of the unfamiliar. It didn't help either that some of them were as wary of her as she was of them. They'd had crazy kings and queens before but no history book could tell them how to deal with a monarch with ice powers. They loved her nearly as much as they feared her. Elsa gripped the armrests of her throne between her fingers and grounded herself. This was her people's time.

Nearly an hour into domestic issues that could easily be solved if some of them would just take a second to think for themselves, Elsa spied a face she wasn't too eager to see again. She straightened her back again as Kristoff stepped up next to bring his concern. He begrudgingly swiped his hat from his head and held it in his hands as a show of respect lest the guards force him to kneel and he stared into Elsa's eyes, animosity roiling beneath the surface. The tension was palpable and the guards looked back and forth from their queen to Kristoff who hadn't spoken yet. Just as one of them was about to tell him to speak or to leave, he began.

"Your majesty," he ground out. "It's come to my attention that the routes meant for trade and royal business have been compromised. The wolves are pressing out of their territory and moving further south. They're causing trouble for the caravans and making it tough for business. This is only the beginning. If those routes aren't protected or if the wolves aren't dealt with, no one's going to want to risk the journey out there," Kristoff explained. Elsa's brow raised and she leaned forward slightly, intrigued by what he had to say. Honestly, she was prepared to just turn him away no matter his complaint but if he was telling the truth, the wolves could really slow trade flow with the towns north of of her kingdom. Trade by water would always be more profitable but it was slower and the caravans offered her people things that they couldn't get overseas. It'd be a headache to deal with if she let it get out of hand.

"I'll have men patrolling the area to the north, equipped to handle the weather in a few days time," Elsa replied after a beat. "We will deal with the problem of the wolves separately. Until then, the men will ensure safe passage for caravans and workmen." Despite the source, she was glad to be presented with an actual problem to work on. Much better than the small land disputes better discussed over dinner tables than in her court she'd had to deal with. She'd have the men chosen for the route rotated until they were trained to handle the wolves. Perhaps she'd even have to go herself and scare them off with a few wiggles of her fingers. She cast a steely glance back down at Kristoff who seemed pleased with her answer.

"Satisfactory?" she asked with a slight snide undertone.

"Indeed," Kristoff deadpanned before promptly turning on his heel and stalking away before she could dismiss him. She tsked at the insult but she let it go and motioned for the guards to allow the next set through.

When she'd filled her quota for the day and her tolerance for petty, domestic squabbles and easily solvable issues was met, she ended the session and gracefully left the throne room. Truly though, despite her patience having been worn thin, she was greatly distracted and was having trouble focusing on the words of her people. Ever since Kristoff appeared before her, he and his sister were stuck on her mind. She'd not thought about them in nearly three years, finally having gotten over the betrayal and shifting it to the back of her mind. Seeing one of them again though just opened the floodgates and she was filled with righteous anger and a stinging pang of hurt.

Elsa stormed her way to her office, formerly her father's and instructed Kai and Gerda not to disturb her unless it was truly important. She'd decided to see to her books to try and distract her thoughts from the Bjorgman siblings. Five minutes into them though and she slammed her quill down in frustration. She'd read the same lines over and over ten times, the numbers just going over her head. Ice crept up the walls and the temperature dropped drastically in the room. Frankly, she was surprised she'd lasted so long and hadn't frosted over the entire throne room when she saw Kristoff.

"Come on. Conceal, don't feel. Don't let it show Elsa..." she whispered to herself, rubbing her face. The sting however wouldn't leave her. It was like a wound that had scabbed over and had just been ripped open again. "Dammit Anna!" she cursed, ice spikes shooting up from the ground around her seat. "Why'd you do it?" The queen went on to reminisce about the time before she'd learned of Anna's betrayal. They'd been in love, completely enraptured with one another. They shared things with one another that Elsa wouldn't dare tell another soul. She'd been a slave to the commoner girl the moment she saw her in the marketplace on a day in the town. Anna was the most beautiful girl she'd ever laid her eyes on and she'd given her everything. Absolutely everything. "So why? Why'd you cheat on me?"

Had she not been enough? Did she not show her enough affection? What had she done that drove Anna far enough away to have an affair? These questions came up again and again in her mind just as they had in the past but she just couldn't find an answer. And, to make matters worse, Elsa might have even accepted her back had Anna not lied to her about it. "She goes off and lays with a man and then returns with child and tells me that it isn't so?" Elsa was now pacing about her room. "She honestly expected me to believe that she just woke up one day with child? The gall-I can't-How could she lie to my face like that?!"

Elsa lifted a finger to her cheek to wipe away the angry tears that now streaked her face. She stopped pacing, took a look around the room then sucked in a calming breath. She was done crying over Anna and done feeling sorry for herself. She was out of sight and out of mind and she wasn't going to let something as simple as the sight of Kristoff rattle her any further.


	2. Chapter 2

**Six and half years ago**

 _"Els! Elsa!" Anna called as she hurried through the halls, all the way up to her lover's office door. She shoved the door open unceremoniously and the queen sat behind her desk, quill in hand, confusion painting her face. She was glad to see Anna of course but what could she possibly have to say with such urgency?_

 _"Yes dear? What is it?" she asked, setting down her quill, awaiting an answer. Perhaps Sven learned a new trick or maybe one of the guards told her a joke or maybe the mare Anna had fancied in the stables had finally had her fowl. She typically burst in once a week or so to tell her something like that and though it should annoy her, Anna's innocent eagerness to share these things with her made Elsa happy. She was queen but she was still a woman who enjoyed seeing her lover happy no matter how unrefined some of those things might be. What Anna told her though was the furthest thing from her mind._

 _"Els I'm pregnant!" Anna exclaimed happily, going over to hug her love. She wrapped Elsa up in a tight hug but the queen did not return it. She stood rigid as the words sunk in. Anna finally drew back then looked up, ready to speak again but the words left her when she saw the look on Elsa's face. Horror. "Els? Love, what's wrong?" she asked, furrowing her brow._

 _"Y-You're pregnant?" Elsa whispered in disbelief, stepping back from Anna. Worry crossed Anna's features and she stepped forward to touch the queen but Elsa swatted her hand away. "You're pregnant?!" she roared. Anna winced at the volume and stepped back._

 _"Yes. I-I thought you'd be pleased. Didn't you say you'd always wanted children? I went and paid a visit to th-"_

 _"Pleased?! You thought I'd be PLEASED?!" Elsa's eyes opened up wide as ice tinted red crept along the walls and spikes began erupting all around them. Anna immediately drew her hands in on herself and hugged her arms, shivering as the cold air bit at her skin. Elsa was in a state of shock however, her face reflecting utter disbelief. There had been whispers that Anna had been seeing someone else. The maids would gossip quietly about them and Elsa happened to hear them one day, commenting on how Anna was constantly leaving the castle to meet with some man. She'd ignored it though, taking it for nothing more than made up nonsense. Anna could leave the castle as she pleased and see whoever she wanted because she'd trusted her but Anna said she loved her and Elsa made the mistake of believing her._

 _Elsa dropped her eyes to Anna's mid-section and took notice of the kind of dress she was wearing. She'd forgone a corset that day and gone with an Empire cut dress. Swiping her hand, Elsa commanded a chilled wind to pick up and it blew against Anna revealing a small pooch in her stomach. She couldn't believe it. She absolutely could not believe what she was seeing and was insulted by what she was hearing. Elsa's balled her hands into fists and furrowed her brow in anger. With a sharp flick of her hand, she pointed towards the door. "Get out," she muttered._

 _"Wha-what? Elsa wait, you don't understand!"_

 _"I don't understand?! You lay with a man and then come to tell me as if it isn't a big deal?!"_

 _"No! Elsa I didn't-" Anna tried but the spikes grew larger and the temperature dropped further, startling her to silence. Elsa had never used her powers on her and never once threatened her with them. Anna had never had a reason to ever fear her but in that moment, she was truly afraid that Elsa would strike her. By then, she was shivering and could see her breath. There was a loud rapping at the door followed by an attempt to open it. The frozen over handle resisted but after a few unsuccessful tries, a guard pried it open and in rushed he, Kai, and Gerda._

 _"GET OUT!" Elsa practically screamed, looking directly at Anna, hatred in her eyes. She snapped her eyes to the guard then stormed towards the door, turning her back on her former lover. "Please escort Ms. Bjorgman from the castle. I'd like for her to never grace my presence again," she stated sharply before exiting the room, not sparing even a glance back in Anna's tearful direction._

Anna opened up her eyes and stared at the ceiling. It was Sunday, two days since Kristoff had returned and the day after he'd come back from his plea to the crown. He told his sister what happened and she was happy that Elsa immediately took action to resolve the problem but once she was in her thoughts, she wouldn't leave. She closed her eyes that night and dreamt of the day Elsa had her thrown out of the castle repeatedly. She didn't sleep well at all, constantly waking from the dream only to return to sleep to dream it all again. Elsa had completely broken her heart the day she slammed the door on her but what hurt her the most was that she hadn't even listened to her explanation. Did Elsa actually think she was stupid enough to cheat then act as if she didn't know how she'd gotten pregnant? Anna glanced down at Synn whose head was resting on her belly. She gently stroked through her hair which normally would rouse the child from sleep.

Synnöve however didn't get up. She simply rolled over onto her back giving Anna a clear view of her face. Her very red, sweaty face. Anna sat up and touched her daughter's cheek and gasped when she felt just how hot she was. Anna hurried out of bed but the moment her feet touched the ground, she jumped. The floor was like ice! The room was incredibly cold but the heavy blanket and quilt on the bed had managed to block it out.

That wasn't what mattered at the moment though. Anna searched quickly for her shoes then ran out to gather some medicine from a cupboard in the living room. Kristoff was nowhere to be seen but a fire was dwindling in the fire place and yet, it was still freezing. She paid no mind to that however as she dug through the medicine cupboard for what she needed for fevers. She'd gathered the medicine then went for a basin to fill with water but the water jug in the kitchen to her shock was icy cold. The water inside was so cold in fact that ice had formed on top.

"But it's October. It couldn't possibly be so cold out yet..." Anna mumbled, the adrenaline in her system starting to wear off. The cold started to bite at her through her nightgown and her breath was visible in puffs. She shivered and grabbed the medicine, deciding to heat the water in the fireplace afterwards. She rushed back to the bedroom and set the things down on the small table then quickly grabbed a jacket to put on before checking on Synn.

The child was huffing, her face was contorted in pain and despite the chill, she was sweating pretty hard. Anna pulled the blankets away from her and felt her hands as well which were also warm. Anna was beginning to think her basic medicine wasn't going to cut it. She decided to get her up and carry her to a physician so she turned to grab a coat for her but as soon as she took a step, she slid on something and fell to the ground, her head colliding with the floor with a loud crack. Her ears rung as pain rushed to the back of her head. She tried to move her arms to feel her head but she couldn't move anything. It was so very cold.

* * *

"Your majesty!" Kai called out to Elsa as he rapped on her office door. The queen was faring much better that day, actively throwing herself into work to distract herself from Anna. She was just seeing to the reports her scouts had sent her about the wolves in the mountains when she was disturbed. She glanced up as Kai stepped into the office, panic on his face. "You've been here all day, I knew it..." he trailed off, taking in the work scattered on her desk. Elsa furrowed her brow and nodded an affirmative.

"Yes...I've been here all day. Is there...something wrong?"

"Ice!" Kai exclaimed, startling the queen with his volume.

"What are you on about Kai?" she asked, noticing that he was clearly alarmed.

"In the town! Ice has sprouted out of a house in the town! It's nearly been torn in half! The people are panicking!" he said quickly. Elsa stood up and strode from her desk and out the door, Kai hot on her heels.

"How could this have happened? I've been here all day and I haven't used any magic. I'd have noticed eventually even if it were subconscious...No. It has to be something else," Elsa mumbled to herself as she made her way through the Grand Foyer and into the courtyard. "Have the boys ready the horses Kai and tell the Captain and some of his men to come with me," she ordered. If there was ice in the town, the people would assume it was her. She'd made enough mistakes with her magic in the past and her people were only now starting to get past them. She wasn't going to take responsibility for something she hadn't done; she was going to get to the bottom of this.

Not ten minutes later, Elsa stepped into her carriage, the captain of her guards beside her. Horses thundered as she and the others on horseback raced into the town, the captain directing the driver to where Kai said the ice appeared. A crowd of people surrounded the house, some onlooking and some attempting to break the spikes protruding from the ground. They all however parted when they noticed the approach of the queen's royal carriage. Elsa stepped out the moment it slid to a stop and her guards quickly dismounted to follow her. Some of the townspeople stepped back but a few brave souls swallowed their fear and spoke up.

"What's the meaning of this?!" one of them called out.

"Why'd you do this to them?!" Another one shouted, stepping forward. Murmurs broke through the crowd and Elsa could see that they would quickly riot should she not do something soon. She pointed to the ground then with a flick of her wrist, conjured a spike of her own beside one of the spikes already protruding from the ground. Her's was smooth, the cleavage was impeccable and they could all see straight through it. Nothing like the jagged, cloudy, unrefined ice sprouting from the house.

"I did not do this," Elsa stated clearly and confidently, waving the spike away once her point was made. ' _But who did if not me? Could there be another with magic in this town?'_ she thought stressfully as she stepped towards the house. She was ready to try and melt what she could when another voice sounded from the crowd.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! Are you so bitter that you'd attack my sister like this?! While she slept?!" Kristoff pushed through the crowd, guiding his reindeer Sven by a lead. He dropped the lead then pointed at Elsa, rage in his eyes. "How could you do this to her!? You're nothing but a witch! I swear to the Gods Elsa, if you hurt my sister or my ni-" He was promptly cut off by a sharp crack. All eyes turned to the house that was slowly beginning to give under the weight and pressure of the ice.

A couple of the spikes twisted further, growing in size and the crowd stepped back further. Kristoff however rushed forward, taking his pick from his belt. He carefully stepped through the icy path up to the door then tried to ram it down when it wouldn't budge. He wasn't strong enough however and he was starting to panic. "Anna! Anna! Can you hear me!? Synn! Answer me!" he called out as he threw himself against the door again.

Elsa was frozen in place, startled by his revelation. ' _This is Anna's house? Would I have attacked her subconsciously? No...'_ she thought, looking to the ice again. ' _It's not my ice.'_ Elsa focused on the ice in front of the house and tried to wave it away as she had her own but much to her surprise and chagrin, only some of it broke away as if it were resisting her. Definitely not her doing. The house creaked again as the spikes twisted further and she knew she had to resolve this quickly before the roof caved in. Stepping through the ice nimbly, she approached Kristoff, her guards hot on her heels.

"Step aside," she told him dismissively as she focused on unblocking whatever was in front of the door. Ice broke off and the door groaned as the ice stressing it was whisked away. When she finally dropped her hands, more tired than she'd have liked to admit, she gave the door a shove and it opened up. "Captain Gamal. Oleg. Come with me," she ordered her guards as she stepped into the house.

Kristoff barreled in after her, pushing past her guards as he moved towards the bedroom. The path however was blocked by jagged spikes and the floor was dangerously coated in ice. Elsa made quick work of clearing a path through as best as she could. The ice resisted her commands so by time they made it to the actual bedroom door, she was puffing from the exertion. Kristoff slammed his pick against the ice blocking the bedroom door as did the guards with their spears. Together they broke through while the queen caught her breath and they stepped inside to see Anna laying on the floor, her fingers and toes blue and Synnöve laying on the bed, face still bright red and twisted in pain. "Anna! Oh my God, Synn!" Kristoff hesitated choosing who to go to first but Gamal and Oleg both chose Anna first, focusing on breaking her out of the ice clinging to her clothing, pinning her to the ground.

Elsa stepped in after them and was taken aback by the scene. The child was lying on the bed untouched by ice but all the spikes and snow lead from her direction, all coiled around her like an icy cocoon. Kristoff swung his pick at the ice in his way until he reached his niece and didn't hesitate to grab her up in his arms. He immediately felt the heat radiating from her and his face contorted in worry. "She's burning up?" he said in disbelief. Just as he'd taken her into his arms, Elsa's captain wretched Anna free from the ice on the floor by her shoulders. He and Oleg pulled her up from the ground and Elsa immediately took notice of the blood frozen over on the floor.

"They are both in need of medical attention! Captain, Oleg! Take her outside at once!" Elsa ordered, her chest tightening at the very sight of Anna hurt. She quickly led the men back out of the house, Kristoff close behind clutching Synnöve. To their surprise though, as soon as Kristoff stepped out of the house, the ice began to recede and the wood splintered as some of the structure began to cave in on itself. Smaller spikes of ice however started to shoot up out of the ground with every step he took, as if it were following him.

"What in the world?" he muttered as soon as he took notice.

"That girl in your arms. She is the source of this magic," Elsa stated, looking back at him then down at Synnöve. She furrowed her brows slightly; her face was obscured by Kristoff's jacket. The child in question shifted uncomfortably in his arms and Kristoff looked down at her in panic. Adjusting her in his arms, he suddenly took off at a brisk pace. There was a physician in town that didn't judge his sister and showed them kindness throughout the years. Oleg, who had shifted Anna into his arms looked to his captain then hurried after Kristoff. Kristoff came to a stop in front of a house and started banging on the door.

"Emeric! Vivienne! Please open up!" he shouted from the door. He heard quickened footsteps coming to the door and it swung open with haste to reveal a woman with tanned skin, dark brown hair and brilliant green eyes. She looked alarmed at the sight of Kristoff then looked down at Synnöve and gasped. She ushered him inside then looked up to see Oleg approaching with Anna limp in his arms. She opened up the door wider for them to pass through then hurried through the house in search of Emeric.

"Father! Come quickly! There's an emergency!" she shouted through the house, gathering a few things as she hurried through the halls. Kristoff held onto his niece while Oleg laid Anna down across a couch. His sister lay motionless while his niece breathed hard into his chest. Whatever had been keeping him together before, most likely adrenaline was wearing off and the tears started soon after. Heavy footsteps came from the steps leading upstairs and into the living room ran an older man with greying hair and a full, well kept beard and mustache.

"Kristoff? God, what happened?!" he exclaimed, rushing over to examine Anna. He felt for a pulse, sighing in relief when he felt a weak one then turned to look at Synnöve. "Vivienne, look after Synn!" he called to his daughter as he focused his attention on Anna. Vivienne hurried back into the room with a mess of blankets, making quick work of covering Anna's cold body with them. She then turned to Kristoff and motioned for the child. Her teary eyed uncle handed her over to the woman and then wiped his nose on his sleeve in an undignified manner.

"Look at me," Vivienne said to him. "They're going to be alright. You have my word Kris."

Kristoff gave a small nod then stepped back and Oleg stepped outside where he met his captain, the royal carriage and one uneasy reindeer.

"There's a doctor inside. He's seeing to them now," Oleg relayed, straightening up in the presence of his captain. Gamal nodded then looked to the queen who was stepping out of her carriage. She strode to the door of the establishment without a word and walked inside, instantly met with a distraught Kristoff. He looked up at her and glared behind his tears but couldn't find the strength to speak to her, his gaze darting back to his family. Elsa ignored him, taking notice of the ice trailing through the house leading to the child. There was no doubt in her mind now; she had ice powers just like Elsa.

* * *

Only after Emeric had finished cleaning the gash on the back of Anna's head and covered it appropriately did he even notice another person in his house. And, much to his surprise, it was the queen but his work overrode any nervousness or humility he should have felt in her presence. He gave a curt bow to which she nodded then went to check on Vivienne's progress with Synnöve. The child's fever still raged but she looked more comfortable in his daughter's arms who had given her medicine, changed her out of her pajamas and was wiping at her face with a cool, wet towel. Vivienne had gone over her skin searching for frostnip but to her surprise, there was absolutely none. Synnöve hadn't been touched by the ice at all. The child had stopped fidgeting but her breathing was still labored. Emeric felt her temperature and then brushed his bearded chin, perplexed. "What manner of fever is this…?"

"She's coming into her powers," Elsa stated. Emeric glanced up at her in surprise and she gestured to the ice on the floor. She'd been keeping the ice at bay so that it wouldn't get out of hand like it had in her home but she still wanted the doctor to see it. "My fever came at the age of three and consumed me for four days. My physicians were baffled...and scared so my parents turned to the Trolls. They told my parents that my body was getting used to the magic but was still rejecting it, which manifested itself in a fever. Humans aren't inherently magical beings so we must become acclimatized." Elsa looked down at Synnöve. "This child is a late bloomer it appears but she should be able to fight it off easier than I had," she explained.

"Magic?...Powers like yours?" Emeric asked, brows raised. "Curious. But how is that possible? The odds...If you don't mind me asking, what is your relation to Synn?" Kristoff looked up at the queen and stared at her hard, his jaw set stiffly. Elsa was at a loss for words.

"I...I don't know," Elsa mumbled, gripping her gloved hands together.

"You'd have known if you'd only listened," Kristoff hissed at her, standing up and rounding the corner, heading out the door. Elsa winced at the sound of the door slamming shut. From the moment she determined that the ice was coming from Synnöve, from Anna's daughter, her mind started racing. Deep down, she knew she'd made a terrible mistake but she didn't want to admit it. It made absolutely no sense. It wasn't possible for the child to be of any relation to her.

Emeric could sense that the question was weighted and that the situation was more complicated than he initially realized so he left it alone, choosing instead to return to Anna. He moved some of the blankets warming her chilled skin and took a look at her fingers. They weren't quite frostbitten but they'd definitely been nipped and were red and blotchy. A little while longer inside her home and she may have lost some of them. He returned her hand to the blankets then checked the other and then her toes.

"She looks worse than she is. The head injury is the worst of it but that should heal over nicely. I'll know better when she opens her eyes," Emeric said to no one in particular. He then looked back up at the queen and smiled a little. "It'd be best if you returned home Your Majesty. They'll both need their rest and neither will be getting up any time soon." Elsa wrung her hands together again, her eyes shifting from Anna to Synnöve then back to Emeric.

"Very well..." she replied, sweeping a hand through her platinum locks stressfully.

"Au revoir Votre Majesté," Emeric said, catching Elsa's attention.

"You're a Frenchman," she stated, not exactly posing a question. Emeric smiled and nodded, gesturing to his daughter.

"My daughter, Vivienne was born here in Arendelle but I was born and raised in France."

"Why did you decide to leave France? Or rather, why did you decide to come to Arendelle?" Elsa asked, curious as to why a doctor would leave his home.

"Mmmm, I left France for personal reasons but I chose your lovely kingdom for its mountains. They're quite a sight." Elsa could tell that there was a story under there but she left it alone.

"I see...Bonne journée donc, Monsieur," Elsa replied before taking her leave. She asked Oleg to stay behind and alert her should either of them wake then she and the rest of her guards returned to Kristoff's now broken home. The man in question was standing outside the establishment, staring at the destruction. His business was hurting due to the wolves, his sister and his niece both were in need of medical care and his home was effectively destroyed. How much more was he going to have to endure? Both his heart and his pocket were bleeding. Sven rubbed his head against Kristoff's back, sensing his pain but the man's shoulders shook with defeat. The queen approached him and stopped at his side, taking in the damage. "Your home will be repaired in due time," she stated. She didn't know how and she didn't know why but this was somehow her fault and she needed to right this wrong.

"Until then, you and your...family will stay in the castle," she added, turning her back on the house and returning to her carriage.

"What? What gives you the right to ask that?" he asked with little conviction, clearly at his emotional limit.

"I don't recall asking," Elsa tossed over her shoulder.


	3. Chapter 3

Anna and Synnöve were treated in Emeric's home for the first day but they were moved into the royal castle as soon as the child was stable enough to be moved, on the second. Elsa allowed the doctor and his daughter passage to take care of them and he worked alongside the crown's physicians and aides to care for the two. Neither of them opened their eyes by the third day but Synnöve's fever, as Elsa had predicted had broken and Anna's head wound was healing on schedule.

Elsa lingered around the sick wing longer than was necessary, constantly checking in on the both of them, mulling over this new information. Kristoff stayed with them practically every second of every day, watching over his family. He ignored the offer for a bed in the room that had been prepared for him and slept on a cot beside his sister's. It was on the third day just as the sun was going down that Elsa stopped by for the last time for the night.

She walked over to Anna's bedside under the scrutiny of Kristoff's stare. She hesitated but she reached down and took Anna's hand in her own, giving it a firm squeeze. Kristoff watched her movements like a hawk but didn't object. Elsa then turned to face Synnöve and nervously approached her bedside. Her face was shaped like Anna's and her long hair matched her's in color as well but her nose was dusted with freckles. Anna had freckles but hers were darker and more prevalent on her face. Synnöve's freckles were more like Elsa's; light and scarce. Elsa furrowed her brow in thought, looking down at her hands. ' _And my powers. She has those too...'_ she thought, glancing back up at the girl.

"Hello," Synnöve greeted in a soft voice, cracking from not being used. Elsa's eyes widened comically at the sight of the girl's open eyes. There was her proof. If by chance she didn't believe it before, she had to believe it now. Synnöve had her eyes; the same icy blue, piercing eyes that she shared with her father. The eyes of an Arendelle.

Elsa floundered for a bit as the girl stared at her curiously. "Hello," she echoed once the lump in her throat moved. Kristoff was on his feet and was at her side in seconds.

"Synn!" he exclaimed, gathering her up by her shoulders and hugging her something fierce. The child returned it gently, not quite strong enough for their typical bear hugs.

"Uncle Kristoff!" she said behind a bright smile. When he released her back to her pillow she looked up at Elsa again the back at Kristoff. "Uncle Kristoff?" she stage whispered, not quite able to regulate her volume properly. "Who's this pretty lady?" Elsa's brows raised and she looked at Kristoff. It was one thing to not know their connection but there wasn't one person who could speak who didn't recognize their infamous queen. Whether it be out of fear or admiration, everyone knew who Elsa was. Well, that is, until now. Kristoff looked over at Elsa and blushed a little, clearly thinking the same thing she was.

"Sweet Pea, this is Queen Elsa," he told her, scratching the back of his head. Synnöve stared at him then suddenly her face went red and she looked at Elsa alarmed.

"Am I in trouble because I got sick and missed school!?" she shrieked, covering her face with her small hands. Elsa couldn't help but giggle at her response and Kristoff let out a roar of laughter. "Is the Queen going to punish me?"

"No, no! You're not in trouble! Something's...come up and we're staying in the castle for a while," he explained. Synnöve peeked from behind her hands with her large, round eyes melting their hearts.

"Are you sure?" she asked, looking from her uncle to the queen. Elsa nodded and the girl took her hands down from her face. She then averted her eyes and picked at the blanket draped over her.

"What is it?" Kristoff asked her.

"I-I've never seen the queen before. What do I do?" she _whispered_ again. "Was I rude?" Elsa smiled and decided to finally speak up.

"No Sweetheart, you weren't rude and you don't have to do anything. Just be you," Elsa told her.

"Okay," the child replied, blushing a little. Realization then crossed her face and she looked up again. "Wait! Uncle Kristoff, where's momma? Did she meet the queen too?" she asked, now realizing that she couldn't see her. Elsa shifted so that she was no longer obstructing her view and Synnöve saw her mother lying in the bed next to her's, sleeping deeply.

"She's sleeping Sweet Pea. Momma got a little...sick too so she needs to sleep and recover," Kristoff offered, not wanting to worry her too much.

"Oh. Okay," Synnöve replied, sounding a little sad at the prospect of not getting to speak with her. She reached up and rubbed her eyes then tried to sit up a little, which Kristoff helped her do. Once leaning back against her pillow on the headboard, she coughed a little and scratched her throat.

"Would you like some water?" Elsa asked her.

"Yes please," Synnöve replied shyly as Kristoff straightened up and turned away.

"I'm gonna go see if I can find one of the doctors to look at her," he said before walking out of the room. Meanwhile, Elsa poured the girl a half glass of water and handed it over to her. Synnöve drank as much as she could before handing it back. Elsa set it down on the bedside table then noticed that the redness in her cheeks wasn't going away.

"Synnöve? Is your head still feeling hot?" Elsa asked, reaching out and touching her forehead. It was nothing compared to how hot she'd been before but her skin was still warm. Instinctively, Elsa chilled her hand with her magic and pressed it back against her forehead. Synnöve closed her eyes and sighed at the cool touch.

"Thank you very much Your Majesty," she managed as she soaked in the cold.

"Do you...enjoy the cold?" Elsa asked as she shifted her hand to the other side of her forehead.

"Mmmhmm. Winter is my favorite time of year and I love the snow. Momma gets mad sometimes if I go outside without a coat on but the cold never bothered me anyway," the girl replied just as Kristoff returned with one of the castle's physicians. Elsa took her hand back and Synnöve opened her eyes and pouted at the lost contact. She even made the same facial expressions as Elsa did. Her pout was a near perfect copy of her own.

"Hello Synnöve!" the doctor greeted, stepping over to her bedside.

"Dr. Mattheus, she's still very warm," Elsa told him, looking down at the child. Mattheus leaned over to feel her forehead and smiled.

"She's fighting off the last of the fever. By my guess, she'll be back to her usual self by tomorrow morning. I'll get a cool towel for her head. Synnöve, are you hungry? You've been asleep for a while now so you must be famished," he said. Synnöve blushed again and gave a shy nod.

"Yes Sir," she replied, glancing over at her mother's sleeping form. Mattheus followed her gaze and then smiled.

"I'll be sure to check up on her next. No need to worry," he said before getting the wet towel he promised. Elsa left to ask Gerda if any of the cooks were still about, to whip something up for Synnöve. Mattheus went and checked the bandages on Anna's head and readjusted the dressing, applying a new coat of salve to help the healing process along. Synnöve settled down further once he assured her her mother would be fine and then accepted the sandwich prepared for her.

"Oh! I love sandwiches!" she said excitedly. She quickly said her prayers before taking a half and taking a nice big bite.

"You do? What kind of sandwiches?" Elsa asked, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Every kind!" Synnöve replied, making sure to swallow first. "Momma makes the tastiest sandwiches and Uncle Kristoff makes the biggest sandwiches but this sandwich is perfect! It's tasty _and_ big!" Elsa giggled and contented herself to watching the girl devour the meal in front of her. Tiny as she was, she certainly had her mother's appetite.

When Synnöve was finished and sated, she snuggled back down into bed and promptly fell asleep. Elsa retired to her own room and Kristoff hunkered down in his cot for the night but by morning, everyone was back in their spot from the evening before. Elsa could only spend so much time getting to know the girl without neglecting her duties as queen but she checked in often. It was around noon time when Anna finally opened her eyes again. Elsa had just taken lunch in the sick wing with Synnöve and Kristoff where the two adults managed to speak to one another without too much sarcasm or malice in their voices. Not ten minutes after their food had been cleared away, Anna shifted and groaned. Kristoff flew to her side as did Elsa while Anna wiggled around in the bed. Her face screwed in pain and she reached up to touch her head but her brother stopped her hand. "Hey, don't do that."

"Kris?" Anna cracked open her eyes one at a time to see her brother beaming at her. She managed a smile back but then panic set in. "Oh my God! Synn!" she exclaimed, sitting up suddenly. Two hands stopped her by her shoulders though, keeping her from getting out of the cot. Anna looked over to see who it was and all the color drained from her face. "E-Elsa?" she squeaked out, clearly caught off guard.

"Momma! I'm over here!" Synnöve said happily, breaking the tension that had set in. Anna tore her eyes from Elsa's and looked over to see her daughter sitting up in the next cot over. The little girl shuffled from under the blankets and jumped down to the floor before climbing up into her mother's lap. Anna took her face and kissed her all over then wrapped her up in a tight hug.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Synn you're alright! You were burning up and it was so cold and then there was ice and I think I fell and hit my head and-"

"Anna! Everything's fine," Kristoff told her. Anna swallowed and released her daughter so that she could look at her again and she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"I was so scared. I thought I would lose you," she blubbered, stroking back Synnöve's loose hair.

"It's okay Momma. I'm fine! See?" The girl picked up her mother's hand and placed it on her forehead. Just as Mattheus had said, her temperature was normal by time she woke that morning. "Uncle Kristoff and Mr. Emeric and Mr. Mattheus and Queen Elsa took care of us," she added. Anna paused and then looked up again, connecting eyes with her former lover.

"What are we-Why are we here?" Anna asked quietly. Elsa glanced down at Synnöve then over to Kristoff.

"Kristoff...Would you mind taking Synnöve to see Sven? We've had him well cared for while you've been here," she told him, giving a look that said ' _Don't argue.'_

"Sven is here too?!" Synnöve asked excitedly.

"Uh...Yeah! It'll be good for you to stretch your legs too..." Kristoff replied, staring directly at Elsa. While the girl hopped down from the bed, he narrowed his eyes at the queen in warning. Synnöve put on a pair of shoes then took her uncle's hand and the two of them left the room. Elsa watched them go but as soon as the door shut, Anna whirled on her.

"What the hell is going on Elsa?" she asked, furrowing her brow at her. Elsa looked at her in surprise and saw both anger and fright in Anna's eyes. She'd never used that kind of tone with her when they were together, even when she was angry. "You're the one who said you never wanted to see my face again so why am I here?" Anna stared her down defiantly then suddenly her eyes widened. "What have you told my daughter?"

"I haven't said anything. Nothing about what we were...To her, I am just her queen..." Elsa replied, dropping her eyes.

"Why are we here Elsa?" Anna asked again, the anger resurfacing.

"Why didn't you tell me she had my powers?" Elsa snapped, focusing an icy glare on her.

"I-What? Synn doesn't have your..." Anna trailed off, thinking back. Her head pounded from the excitement and the anger but she pictured what she could remember before she was knocked out. "The ice. She conjured the ice?" Anna asked in disbelief.

"How Anna? How is it possible!? It's _not_ possible! S-She looks just like me! She has my eyes and she has my powers! It's too much! How?" Elsa asked frantically, pacing around. The temperature in the room dropped as she wrung her hands together nervously.

"You wouldn't listen..."

"What?" Elsa stopped and looked at her.

"You wouldn't listen to me," Anna stated, tears flooding her eyes. "I tried to tell you but you didn't trust me. You wouldn't listen." She sniffed and furiously wiped away the tears that started to rolls down her cheeks.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the trolls Elsa! The trolls!" Anna yelled. Her volume hurt her own head but she didn't care. "I went to see them about you and they found favor with me and accepted me. I made a wish to have a child with you because I knew you wanted to raise one of your own! I knew you wanted an heir and I'd overheard a conversation you'd had with the Judge! He said an adopted child would face troubles claiming the throne so I tried to make it easier on you by finding a way to bear you one of our own!" Anna was huffing and puffing from the exertion but she wasn't going to let up.

"They placed an enchantment on my body so that the next time we were together intimately, it would seek out your magic and form a child in your likeness. None of us knew if it would work though so I waited to tell you. I didn't want to get your hopes up for nothing if it didn't because I knew you'd be devastated so I went to see a physician first and had it confirmed. I was pregnant..." she trailed off again to wipe her eyes. "I was so excited to tell you but you didn't listen. You wouldn't even allow me to explain!" The floodgates opened and Anna broke down in harsh sobs, clutching her shoulders to steady herself.

Elsa didn't know what to say. She'd made such a gargantuan mistake but this was something her money, power, or influence couldn't fix. She'd broken Anna's heart in a devastating way.

"And you know what the worst part about it is? Even though you didn't trust me and threw me out on the street, even though you didn't listen and you tarnished my family name, even though you left me to raise our daughter alone, I still love you and I can't ever stop loving you!" Anna said, wiping at her face. Even now, Elsa was still the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen and her attraction to her angered her. Her sobs turned to chuckles and then full blown laughter. "If this is the universe's way of playing a joke, then it sure has a shit sense of humor..."

"Anna I-I had no idea-"

"Of course you didn't! You didn't listen! You didn't give me five minutes to just _talk_ to you! Do you have any idea what that did to me?! To Synn?!" she yelled accusingly. "Just get away from me! I did this on my own for six years and I don't need you now!"

"You'll never be able to handle or even understand her powers Anna! My parents didn't understand and it took me more than twenty years to get them under control and even now, sometimes things go wrong with them!" Elsa replied, looking at her hands. Anna followed her gaze and furrowed her brows.

"You're wearing your gloves again," she stated almost sadly. She was wearing them when they first met and was still wearing them months into their courtship but Anna thought she'd broken her out of depending on them to keep her magic in check.

"I-Yes. Ever since then. I haven't had...I can't go without them," Elsa said in shame, dropping her hands to her sides. "I can't let her-No. I won't let her go through what I had to. My parents feared my powers and even though I know you'll love her regardless, you can't teach her to control them. She must rule her powers! It mustn't rule her!" she said with conviction.

"Elsa I agree that she needs a safe and an understanding place to learn how to use them properly but you don't get to decide. You may be her biological father but you surrendered any claim to her or any parental authority over her the day you cast us both on the street and I'm not going to let you use your title to bully me into submission." Anna crossed her arms and glared at her coldly.

"You are her queen but make no mistake Elsa; Synnöve is _not_ your daughter."

* * *

Elsa wished she could have said that she handled it better but she hadn't. She wasn't used to Anna putting her foot down or even being told what to do. It was so jarring that she'd practically fled the sick wing afterwards.

"Synnöve is not your daughter."

Her words rang clear in her ears and echoed in her mind. She'd failed them both and couldn't begin to know how to fix the mess she'd made. There were two things that she knew clear as day: That she'd royally screwed up and that she wanted her daughter in her life. She wanted Anna too, never having quite gotten over her but if Anna wouldn't take her back, she'd just have to swallow her pride and deal. If that was her punishment, she'd accept it but not when it came to Synnöve. She didn't care if she had to get down on her knees and beg Anna; she wanted to be a part of her life.

Elsa skipped dinner in the sick wing that night giving Synnöve the excuse that she had too much work to finish up. It was enough of an explanation for her but Anna and Kristoff knew better. When he and Synnöve returned from the stables to see Sven, Anna was red-face and he'd noticed the tear tracks and that Elsa was nowhere to be seen. He'd asked if Elsa hurt her, ready to hunt the queen down had she done so but Anna assured him that she had not but didn't tell him what had happened. By the looks of things, he was more than sure they'd had an argument and Elsa had tucked tail and fled.

Synnöve stopped Elsa before she left for the night though and ran up to her to give her a hug. Elsa was stunned but she returned the hug gently. Anna was still upset with Elsa but even she felt her heart melt a little at the sight of the two of them together. Elsa gently stroked back her hair and then set her off to run back to Anna's bed and hop into her mother's lap. The queen turned without meeting her gaze and left for the night.

The next few days of Anna's recovery were tense to say the least. Elsa tried to give her her space but Synnöve often dragged her back or called for her and there was no way she could say no to her. The sweet little girl already had the queen wrapped around her pinky finger. On the last day, Emeric and Vivienne came by to check in on Anna. Emeric removed the bandages and gently ran his fingers along the back of her head. The flesh was tender but had healed up nicely. "Well, I'll say you've come through with a clean bill of health Ms. Anna. We can take these off today but I implore you to be careful. Until the soreness goes down, continue to sleep on your side and absolutely no horseback riding," he instructed as he took the bandages away.

"I can wait a little longer to ride but I don't think I can stand going another day without washing my hair," Anna muttered. Vivienne chuckled and placed a hand on her friend's thigh.

"Even with matted, unruly hair, you manage to still be the most beautiful girl in the room," she told her. Elsa was inclined to agree. Anna snickered and blushed, reaching for her now loose hair.

"You think so? I feel like the backside of a horse. I can't imagine I look much better," Anna replied, bringing some of her hair forward to look at it. She tsked; split ends.

"I'll cut those for you," her friend offered, noticing the look on Anna's face.

"Could you? It's a little too long for my liking." Elsa who was busy talking to Synnöve overheard this and felt her mouth pull into a frown. She'd always liked Anna's hair long when they were together. In the very start of their relationship, Anna had heard some of Elsa's noble guests whispering about the length of her hair so afterwards she suggested she cut it, to which Elsa balked. It had been a pleasant surprise when the queen had taken her into her study and let down her own hair from her pristine bun which cascaded down her back farther than even hers.

The queen cast a glance back and the movement caught Anna's eye. She looked up at her then away but Elsa looked on, her eyes lingering on the hand that was still resting on Anna's thigh. Quickly she hid her feelings of animosity towards the doctor's daughter lest she inadvertently freeze the room and turned her eyes back to the child still chattering away to her. Vivienne and Anna seemed particularly close from what she'd gathered. Ever since Anna was out of the danger zone and was in her recovery stage, Emeric was the only one who really needed to come and see her but his daughter came along each time. She held Anna's hands, smoothed her hair and one night before leaving, she'd even kissed the girl's forehead. That had particularly sent the queen into a tizzy and she'd quickly left the room under the pretense of work. Elsa had no right to feel any sort of jealousy or anger though and she knew it. She'd had her chance and she'd royally screwed up. If Anna moved on, she'd just have to suck it up and deal but, she didn't want to watch it happen.

"Synnöve dear? I apologize but I must get back to my study and finish my-What was it you called it? Queening?" Elsa told the child who giggled and nodded. Synnöve had since meeting her, warmed up to the queen very quickly. It had been a surprise to them all the night before when she'd coaxed Elsa into the room only to then sit in her lap. It had filled Elsa with such an unfamiliar feeling that she clammed up and sat stiff while the child chattered on about the tour Gerda had given her of the castle earlier in the day.

"I understand," Synnöve replied cordially, standing up to give the queen a hug about the neck. "Will you eat supper with us?" she asked hopefully. Elsa hesitated with her answer, not daring to look up at the others in the room.

"If I can finish what I need to do, perhaps I may," she replied. Anna felt a slight pang in her heart at that. She could tell that Elsa was pulling away so as to give Anna some space, which she highly appreciated but the cost was seeing the obvious disappointment in her daughter's face. Whether she liked it or not, Synnöve was taken with her other parent.

Seeing her tiny pout, Elsa offered a compromise. "How about this? If I can't make it to supper, why don't I ask Gerda to show you where my study is? That's where I keep the good chocolate." The child's eyes lit up at the prospect of knowing where the queen ran off to all day. Gerda had carefully avoided the study in the tour. She nodded enthusiastically, bouncing on her heels and Elsa chuckled. Should it come to that and Synnöve did learn how to reach her study, she was sure she'd get even less work done than she was now. Standing, Elsa nodded to Emeric and quickly left the room for her study.

Truth be told, she did have some work to catch up on but nothing that couldn't have waited. She just couldn't risk feeling jealous while she was in that room. She'd practically mastered her powers and had complete control over them while she courted Anna but she'd always been susceptible to slips in control when she was angry, scared, sick, and especially jealous.

There was a time while she and Anna were together that they decided to go for a walk in the town. Elsa stopped to purchase something for her while Anna went ahead to say hello to a friend. When the queen caught back up with her, Anna was hugging the man she'd gone to see. Elsa obviously knew that Anna wasn't attracted to men but the guy she was hugging held her the way she held Anna. She could see the affection in his eyes and jealousy quickly boiled in the pit of her stomach. She hadn't even noticed that she'd made it snow in the middle of summer until all the children in the plaza started jumping around in glee.

The last thing she wanted was to let her emotions get the better of her and accidentally hurt one of them so she figured it was just best to go. Elsa stepped into her office with a sigh then felt her heart jump out of her chest when someone cleared their throat. She looked up to see Kai standing alongside two familiar faces. Raising her hand to her chest, Elsa released her breath and smiled. "Goodness, Duchess Sofia. Viscount Kolgrim, you gave me quite a fright," she said as she stepped forward, offering out her hands to the Duchess. The older woman took both of her queen's hands in hers and kissed her cheek. She was tall and voluptuous but dressed modestly, fit for her age. Her greying hair was pulled back into an impeccable bun and small wrinkles creased in the corners of her large brown eyes.

"I do apologize Dear," she replied before stepping back to allow the Viscount to greet her as well. He was shorter than the Duchess and much younger yet taller than his queen and a few years older than her. He was slim and square jawed with short red hair brushed back neatly under a top hat, which he removed as he approached her. He took her hand and kissed it, bowing deeply before stepping back.

"We did not mean to intrude, nevermind frighten you," he told her.

"Oh no, of course not. You are always welcome here," Elsa said sincerely, turning to Kai. "Why did you not alert me that they had come?" she asked. Kai bowed slightly.

"I apologize-"

"Oh don't blame Kai here! We'd only just arrived. He was going to fetch you but as fate would have it, you stumbled upon us first," Sofia interjected. Kai blushed slightly and nodded.

"I see. Well then please, do have a seat and allow me to ask why you've both come," Elsa replied, stepping over to one of the settees in the middle of the room. "Kai, would you ask Gerda to send some tea please?" she asked as the three of them sat. Kai nodded and excused himself and just as the door shut, they got down to business.

"Your Highness, we've come to confirm if it's indeed true," Kolgrim started. At the confusion in Elsa's eyes, Sofia elaborated.

"Word has reached us that a child with your unique powers is under your care. There were whispers that she destroyed a home or something along those lines because she couldn't control them. At first we figured it was just nonsensical drivel but then in comes the Vidame to tell us that she'd heard of this development. Everyone is talking about it but we wanted to hear it straight from the person in question so we hurried here," she explained. "Elsa, is it true? And if so, how is that possible?"

The queen panicked momentarily, honestly unsure what to tell them. How did a woman go about telling someone that they'd sired a magical baby with another woman? Frankly, she was unsure how they'd receive the news and on top of that, she wasn't sure she even had the right to claim Synnöve as her own. Anna had made that quite clear to her. Sofia and Kolgrim seemed to sense her hesitation and then noticed that the windows behind her were beginning to frost.

"Your Highness?" Kolgrim tried. Elsa drew a sharp breath and made a decision she was sure would cause problems later. The duchess had served as her regent after her parents died and even though Elsa was slow to warm up to her in the beginning, Sofia was patient and determined. She proved to be an excellent guide and an even better friend, becoming somewhat of a second mother to her. Kolgrim, her appointed viscount aided Sofia in her ruling eventually earning a coveted spot among the few Elsa trusted implicitly with sensitive information. She knew that they weren't going to let this information slip given how important it was.

"Duchess. Viscount. What I say mustn't, under any circumstances leave this room unless I say otherwise," she stated in a serious tone, straightening herself. Worry clouded Sofia's eyes as they wondered what this was all about. Before she could say anything though, there was a soft tap on the door and in stepped one of the maids carrying a tray of tea and biscuits. As if she could feel the tension in the air, she set the tray down quickly, laid out the cups then excused herself when Elsa expressed that she would pour them herself. Once the door shut again, she began from the very beginning telling them everything about her relationship with Anna, from the reason they broke up to Synnöve's display of her powers to Anna's explanation as to how she was conceived in the first place, leaving little detail out. She did have to give her two most trusted confidants credit when she was finished; they'd managed to keep quiet the entire time she was speaking.

"Elsa, do you know what this means? You have an heir! An heir the Judge can not question," Sofia stated, a wide smile breaking out across her face.

"How is she faring in terms of her abilities? Can she learn to control them?" Kolgrim asked.

"Ah, that's the other thing," Elsa said, becoming serious once again. "Synnöve doesn't know about anything. At all. She doesn't know I'm her...father? She doesn't know she has powers. She doesn't know I have powers. Just a week or so ago, she learned that I'm queen." The two of them were stunned at that so Elsa quickly explained. "I told Anna that I never wanted to see her again...and she abided by my words to the letter. Synnöve knew of a queen but little else," she sighed. "I don't think I need to stress why we must be careful with all of this."

"Of course," Kolgrim replied, clearly trying to wrap his head around it all.

"You'll have all the time you need to get the child up to speed," Sofia added. "I imagine you won't want to spring it all on her at once."

"Oh no. See that's the last problem. Anna has expressed that she'd allow me to teach Synnöve to control her powers lest she lose control of them but I...I disrespected Anna in a way that I can only pray to the Gods that she'll ever forgive me for. I can't just come barging back into her life when I tossed her on the street to begin with," Elsa said, lowering her head into her hands. She released a shaky breath then leaned her chin on her fingers. "She's not my daughter to claim."

"Your Highness, with all due respect, you can't be serious? Synnöve is your child. Magical conception or otherwise, she is your blood and the rightful heir to your throne. I can understand that this may be a matter of honor but Anna's words can not dismiss this truth!" Kolgrim stated, leaning forward. "If you are planning to wait for Anna to allow you to claim your own daughter only after you win back her trust, you may be on a fool's errand."

"It does sound impossible, doesn't it?" Elsa sighed defeated, visually deflating.

"Unless you plan on having another child and keeping it a secret that Synnöve is yours, she is your heir. It's her duty. Her birthright." Kolgrim pressed.

"But I can't just tear her away from her mother and I can't just bully Anna into seeing things my way. I won't do that. I need to...to..."

"Pardon me, but you need to kiss some serious ass," Sofia finished for her, earning a smile from the queen.

"That I do..."


	4. Chapter 4

Elsa had seen the duchess and the viscount out a few hours prior and she threw herself into her work to stave off her swirling thoughts. She'd just finished signing her name on a rather important missive and was sealing it in an envelope when she heard a familiar knock at the door. Five gentle knocks. One, two, three-four, five; just the way Anna used to knock. Elsa stood and quickly moved towards the door, curious as to why she'd want to speak with her and more importantly, why she was even out of bed. Pulling the door open, she was surprised to see Gerda standing there. Her confusion was cut short though by the feeling of two short arms wrapping around her legs. Synnöve buried her head into Elsa's pelvis and immediately a smile tugged at her lips. "Hello Sweetheart. What are you doing here?"

Synnöve pulled back and looked up at her, mischief in her eyes. "You said that if you didn't come to supper, I could ask Gerda to come here," she said matter-of-factly to which Elsa's eyes widened with surprise.

"Goodness, I apologize. I must have turned away supper while I was writing up the missive and forgotten..." she mumbled. Gerda grunted in agreement.

"You were quite focused," the older woman said with a bit of worry in her tone. Her queen had been so engrossed that she'd barely acknowledged her presence when she came to Elsa about her dinner. Typically that meant something was weighing heavy on her mind and Gerda had come to learn that working helped Elsa keep calm and distracted. At least the furniture was devoid of any ice.

"Well I did promise..." Elsa sighed, ushering the child inside. Gerda stepped back and shut the door while Elsa stepped over to her desk. She opened one of the drawers and inside was a small bowl of exquisite, expensive French chocolate. She'd sneak a piece every now and then while working and it was like magic on the tip of her tongue. Setting the bowl on top of her desk, she took a few of the wrapped candies and gave them to the girl. Synnöve's eyes lit up and after thanking her, she unwrapped one and put it in her mouth. Elsa watched in delight as the child's eyes shot open in surprise then shut in bliss. "They're wonderful, aren't they?"

"This is the best chocolate I've ever tasted before!" Synnöve replied. "Oh my God! It's so good! May I bring one for momma and Uncle Kristoff?" she asked while she unwrapped another.

"Of course you may. Your mother loves this chocola-" Elsa caught herself and quickly shut her mouth. "She loves chocolate. I think she mentioned that to me in the last few days," she amended nervously but the child was so enraptured by the second piece of chocolate that she barely registered that the queen had even spoken. Elsa took one of them for herself and popped it in her mouth, well remembering the first time she offered them to Anna.

 **Eight Years Ago**

 _"Oh wow Elsa!" Anna exclaimed, her hands going directly to her cheeks as though her face couldn't handle the candy. "It's...It's AMAZING!" Elsa chuckled at the other girl as she floundered. "Elsa, where did you get these?"_

 _"They were sent from France. A baron from Toulouse was among my suitors," Elsa said with a giggle. "Poor boys. Edgard was quite taken with me and though I'd never love him, he was genuinely kind to me and became one of the first people outside of these walls that I could call a friend. He was one of the first to know that I wasn't attracted to men in fact. Edgard was initially saddened when I told him but he never stopped being my friend. He sent me chocolates as a gift one summer and when I expressed my delight in my next letter, he told me where I could get them and sent more...What?" Elsa asked, noticing the flushed look on her lover's face._

 _"It's nothing. It's just...it's a little weird is all. Y'know, being with someone like you who has things like suitors and wealthy French friends. I can't give you any of those things," Anna replied, gently rubbing her elbow with her right hand. Elsa stepped in front of her and lifted her chin with a gentle hand, her thumb gently swiping across Anna's bottom lip. Anna looked into her eyes and saw nothing but passionate love looking back at her._

 _"Anna, I didn't stop my carriage in the middle of the town and follow you on foot so that I could glimpse at your face again in the hopes that you could buy me things," the queen told her. "I showed up every day to buy flowers from you just so I could have an excuse to speak with you. I wouldn't have done that if I just wanted someone to give me gifts. When word got out about my preference, wealthy women were among my many suitors as well but I wanted you. In a sea of stones, you were and forever will be my diamond." By then, Anna's cheeks were beet red and she'd stepped closer into the queen's space. Elsa leaned down and captured her lips with her own, tongues and teeth clashing. She could taste a hint of the chocolate on Anna's tongue and the queen committed that moment to memory._

"Queen Elsa?" she heard a tiny voice drag her back out of her mind. Synnöve looked up at her expectantly and the queen scrambled to recall what the girl had just asked.

"They're French chocolates," she replied once she remembered her asking where they were from.

"From France? Like Mr. Emeric and Ms. Vivienne?" Synnöve asked innocently. Elsa paused and looked at the girl then nodded slowly.

"Yes, like them...Synnöve how often do you see the physician and his daughter?" she asked, leaning on the side of her desk.

"Mmm, sometimes," Synnöve replied truthfully. "Mr. Emeric doesn't come around as much because he has to work all the time but Ms. Vivienne comes around a lot!"

"She does?"

"Mmm hmm! She brings me beads and buttons for my dolls and comes to spend time with me and momma." Elsa couldn't help it; she felt her hackles raise. She knew she shouldn't drill the child for information on her other mother but she just had to know.

"Say Synnöve? Does your momma have a boyfriend?" she asked as casually as possible, gripping the side of the desk tightly. To her surprise the girl giggled then shook her head.

"No way! Momma doesn't like boys!"

"You know that? Did she tell you that?"

"Mmm hmm. This boy at the schoolhouse, Erich kept pulling my hair in class and pushing me when we were all outside. I asked Momma and Uncle Kristoff why he was always so mean to me since I'm never mean to him and Uncle Kristoff said that he probably just likes me. So, Momma asked me if I liked boys like Erich but I said I didn't know then I asked Momma if she liked boys and she said no, she likes girls like Uncle Kristoff does."

"Did she ever have a girlfriend?" Elsa asked nervously.

"Nope." A slight sigh of relief. "Momma said that once, she liked a lady that was very beautiful and very kind to her but something happened and they broke up but Momma won't tell me what happened. She said she lives far away and that she can never see her again," Synnöve told the queen, unbeknownst to her, the woman of her mother's affection was right before her. "She doesn't go on dates with other girls though. At least, I don't think so...I think she misses that lady that she loved before." Elsa bit her lip and looked away. "Can I ask you a question?"

"What is it Sweetheart?"

"Can two girls have a baby?" Elsa felt her eyes bug out and when she looked down at Synnöve, she saw nothing but curiosity.

"Why in Heaven's name would you want to know that?" Elsa asked, her heart beating a mile a minute. Surely the girl hadn't pieced it all together so easily.

"Well Uncle Kristoff said that when a boy and a girl like each other, the boy touches her belly and puts a baby there. How did Momma have me if she doesn't like boys?" Elsa felt herself smile at the G-Rated explanation Kristoff must have fumbled through about reproduction.

"Did you ever ask your mother about that?"

"Yes but she got sad and then said that she'd tell me when I was older but…" Synnöve put down the chocolate she was saving for her mother and uncle and started playing with her strawberry blonde pigtails, the same as her mother's. Her face fell and she seemed to really think about what she was going to say. Neither registered the slowly dropping temperature in the room, which wasn't coming from Elsa. "If girls can't have babies with girls, then I must have a daddy. But, if I have a daddy, why doesn't he want me? Did I do something wrong and Momma is mad so she won't tell me?" People wondered if looks could kill in regards to anger but the look Synnöve gave Elsa, the sadness in her big blue eyes broke her heart clean in half and ground it into dust. Immediately, Elsa fell to a knee in front of the girl and gave her a big hug.

"No Sweetheart, no one could ever be angry with you. You didn't do anything wrong. I promise," she told the girl, kissing the side of her head. Synnöve wrapped her arms around her neck and buried her face in between her chin and shoulder. Elsa gently rubbed her back while the girl silently worked through her frustrations then pulled back once she felt her ease up. "Want to go surprise your mother and uncle with the chocolate?" she asked her, not wanting to continue such a depression conversation. Synnöve smiled a little and nodded. Elsa gave her another for good measure, put the container away then took her hand and led her back towards the sick wing.

Waiting by the door, she watched as the girl presented the chocolate to her family. She saw the recognition in Anna's eyes followed by bliss when she put the familiar treat into her mouth. "My God, it's like angels frolicking on my tongue," she moaned, savoring the flavor. Kristoff laughed but agreed that that was probably the best description of the taste. After they'd each had their piece, Kristoff glanced out the window then got up from his seat on Anna's bed.

"It looks like it's bed time Synn. The sun's gone to bed and so should you," he told her. The girl pouted but didn't dare argue so she shuffled across her mother's bed and kissed her goodnight then hopped down. Kristoff took her hand and they walked towards the door where the girl stopped to hug the queen goodnight as well.

"Goodnight Sweetheart," Elsa told her, kissing her forehead tenderly. When she straightened up, she gave her uncle a brief nod which he returned and the two made their way down the hall. Ever since Anna woke up, she insisted on her brother and daughter sleeping in the rooms prepared for them. The sick wing's beds were more comfortable than their bed at home but not nearly as comfortable as the one's in Elsa's guest rooms and she didn't want them to have to curl up in there just to sleep near to her. Down the hall was close enough. Elsa watched them go then stepped inside the room, walking towards Anna.

"She's taken quite an interest in you," Anna said evenly, watching the queen like a hawk as she approached. Elsa merely nodded, her only acknowledgement of what Anna had said.

"You can sleep in another room if you'd like. Dr. Emeric approved you to move about so you don't have to stay in here."

"It's fine Elsa," Anna replied shortly. "What are you really doing here? I'm sure you didn't come in just to offer me another bed." Elsa sighed, knowing that she deserved the attitude she was getting but it didn't stop it from hurting.

"Anna, Synnöve she...She revealed something disturbing to me today," Elsa started, pacing about in the room. Anna furrowed her brow and sat up, waiting for her to elaborate. "When did you...No, were you ever planning on telling her the truth? About who she really is? About where she's really from? Who I am to her?" Anna's expression darkened.

"Who she really is, Elsa? You aren't the only part of her the matters! She doesn't need to know her true connection you!"

"Yes, she does! I can't believe this," Elsa shot back, chuckling darkly. "Anna, she thinks that her father abandoned her! You refused to speak about it with her so she's come up with her own answers to her many, many questions! She's sitting around thinking it's her fault!"

"How would you know that?"

"She asked me about it! She thinks you're angry at her about her father and thinks that that's the reason you won't talk about it!" Elsa stopped and calmed herself, already feeling her emotions getting the better of her and her powers. She rubbed her hands together to stave off the magic then looked at Anna again. "You need to tell her the truth. The whole truth."

"No Elsa! I'm not going to spring something like this on her so soon! She's a child and she doesn't even know what she's capable of!" Anna fired back. "The last thing I want is to freak her out! Synn doesn't even know that magic exists!" They glared at one another in defiance, both so caught up in their argument that they didn't even notice that someone had come up to the door.

"Freak her out? So now I'm a freak!?" Elsa asked, narrowing her eyes at her.

"That's not what this is about and you know that! Your magic isn't the problem, your trust issues are! I'm not going to bring you into her life any further just so you can disappoint her more than you already have! She may be curious about her father but she won't miss what she doesn't know and I'm not going to let you barge in just so you can push us away again!"

"Stop assuming that I'll make the same mistake again! I won't hurt her!"

"How can I trust you Elsa?! I gave you my everything! I loved you more than anyone and I expected you to know that! How do I know you won't just throw her aside like you did with me?!" Anna sneered, getting in Elsa's face. "Why do you even care!?"

"I love her too Anna! This is my legacy!" Elsa barked, ripping off her right glove, magic crackling at her pale fingertips, ice bending at her will. "Synnöve is my legacy! My blood! Sooner or later, her powers will resurface and she'll have more questions that will need answers! How long do you think it'll be until she knows I have magic? That she has magic? Then how long before she connects the obvious dots? You can try as you will to explain away that I'm Synnöve's father but you can't explain away what she carries inside of her!"

Anna gritted her teeth, ready to bark right back when they both heard it. A soft sniffle, loud as ever in their ears. Both women snapped their eyes towards the door and saw the very child they were shouting about standing there. Elsa quickly shook her magic away and pushed her hand back into her glove as Anna stiffened.

"Synn, what did you-?" Anna tried but stopped in her tracks when Synnöve burst into tears. The room started to slowly frost over in her wake. Synnöve hopped and shuffled on her feet, clearly wanting to embrace her mother but obviously unsure whether or not she should approach her. She'd forgotten her hair ribbon on the side table next to Anna's bed and ran back to retrieve it but as she approached, she could hear voices gradually increasing in volume. To her surprise, her mother was in a serious shouting match with the queen and either of them looked like they'd hit the other which frightened her. Synnöve figured she should come back but then she saw a flash of white as it sprung from Elsa's palm. Ice danced around her fingers as she continued to argue with Anna and to her surprise, her mother didn't seem the least bit fazed by it. In fact, she seemed to regard it with familiarity.

She heard Elsa say her name, regaining her attention, and then the queen dropped a bomb on the child. She said father. Father. The queen was her...father? Just hearing her say it and noticing how Anna didn't deny it made her want to cry. It made no sense in her head and the arguing had made her upset. Accidentally sniffling, both adults heard and looked at her and panic and guilt overtook the anger in their eyes. It was true.

Anna's hesitation lasted only a few moments before she stepped over to her daughter and scooped the child into her arms, gently shushing her and smoothing back her hair. Elsa wrung her hands together stressfully, obviously caught off guard by her appearance. The two of them exchanged glances, one filled with worry and the other with anger. "Sweet Pea?" Anna said as she set Synnöve down on her cot, sitting beside her. She reached up and dried her daughter's cheeks as she reduced her sobs to whimpering. "We need to talk about what you just heard," she said, shooting a glare at the queen who had resumed pacing about the room.

"Uncle Kristoff talked about an evil snow witch in some of his stories. Are you...Are you an evil witch?" Synnöve asked, gazing at the queen timidly. Elsa stopped and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She swore Kristoff hated her more than Anna ever could and it was her heart that she'd broken.

"No Synn, Elsa's not an evil witch. She's many things..." Anna huffed. "But evil is not one of them." It was a little underhanded but Elsa was glad that Anna didn't completely think ill of her.

"H-How? How do you have magic?" Synnöve asked.

"I was born with it. I'm not entirely sure where they came from however..." Elsa responded, hugging her chest and averting her eyes to the window. That answer seemed to be enough for the girl.

"Are you...Uhm, are you my daddy?" she asked next, sniffling again. Elsa's jaw worked up and down stressfully as she tried to think about how she'd answer that question.

"Yes...and no," Elsa sighed, feeling a major headache coming on.

"You didn't want m-me?" Synnöve asked, her voice going up a few octaves as her eyes swelled with tears once again. Remembering their conversation in her study, Elsa approached her and knelt in front of her.

"Of course I want you Sweetheart," Elsa began, taking the girl's small hands in her own. Anna looked ready to snap at her but didn't get a word in as Elsa continued. "I missed out on you growing up and it's my fault. It's my fault for so much of the heart ache in your life. Synnöve, I pushed your mother away because I was stupid and even if I can't fix it with her, I couldn't live with myself if I allowed myself to drift away from you now that I've met you."

"Then you were the lady Momma was talking about!" Synnöve exclaimed, connecting the dots easily. "Do you still love my momma?" she asked, gently tracing the lining in Elsa's gloves. The cheeks of both of her parents colored and they exchanged glances once again.

"Yes, I...I never really stopped," Elsa replied, keeping Anna's gaze as she said so. "But I messed up pretty badly before so that doesn't matter," Elsa added, looking back up at Synnöve.

"Momma, do you love her?" Synnöve asked Anna, ignoring Elsa's last comment.

"Synn I haven't...Elsa and I..." Anna stammered, searching for her words. Elsa knew the answer but she decided to save her some heartache and interjected.

"Sweetheart, there are other things that we need to worry about right now," Elsa stated, trying to get her back on track. Anna cast her a small smile in thanks. "Like getting you back to bed. There are...a lot of things we need to talk about but we can do that in the morning." Synnöve nodded slowly but hesitated to get down from the bed.

"Is your head better? Can I sleep with you tonight Momma?" Synnöve asked, glancing up at her mother.

"Of course Sweet Pea," Anna replied, wrapping her arms around the child. Elsa stood and kissed her on the top of her head then left them for the night. As the woman of her dreams and her daughter curled up together, Elsa paced around her own room, ice crawling up the walls, spiking in different directions. She'd wanted to tell Synnöve the truth but at a point in time when they could explain everything carefully. Now most of it was out in the open and she saw the spark of hope in her daughter's eyes when she asked her mother if she loved Elsa. Anna was ultimately right; she'd just end up hurting Synnöve more than she already had if she didn't make her understand soon.

She and her mother were never getting back together.

* * *

 **AN** : Author here! Sorry for all the tears. They don't exactly stop here though; there'll be some more in the next chapter for Synn but then we can take a break from the waterworks and celebrate with some new character arrivals!


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Elsa decided to avoid the pair of girls she treasured most and took breakfast in the dining room as she had before they arrived. She figured Anna wanted to speak to Synnöve first so she decided not to intrude. Gerda was a little surprised that she didn't want to eat with Synnöve as she had been the last few days but she didn't dare question it. She could tell by the look on her face that something was wrong and it was serious. Elsa had just taken a sip of her mint tea and was setting it back on its saucer while she looked over a letter when the west door flew open, scaring the queen half to death.

Magic trickled down her arm as she turned to face the intruder and the guard standing to the side of the door spun around, spear at the ready. Synnöve stood there, obviously having over estimated how much strength it took to open the door. She cowered back, frightened and Elsa quickly shook away her magic and stood. The guard lowered his weapon and glanced back at the queen in question. She gestured that it was alright so he resumed his post as Elsa approached the little girl.

Synnöve looked up at her with watery eyes, tear tracks evident on her cheeks. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Elsa asked, taking a knee in front of the girl but with a wide berth between them. Synnöve seemed to notice the deliberate distance and her lip quivered pitifully. She reached up and rubbed her eyes in an effort to stop the fresh tears but they kept flowing.

"You don't w-want me..." she said in a whine, ice slowly crawling up the walls around them. Elsa felt her heart break, not exactly for what Synnöve said but how she said it. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Elsa barely registered the sound of quick, heavy footsteps approaching but she ignored them in favor of the girl in front of her.

"W-why do you think that?" she asked incredulously.

"Y-yesterday I found out that you're m-my daddy and now you don't want to eat with me a-anymore even though you promised and you w-won't give me hugs when you see me anymore," Synnöve struggled to get out through her sniffling and hiccups. Slowly Elsa opened her arms to her and the girl didn't hesitate for a second to step into her embrace. Elsa wrapped her up tightly against her chest and kissed her hair, soothing away her tears. Kristoff slid to a stop outside the door and put his hands on his knees to catch his breath as his eyes moved back and forth between them.

"God Synn, you can't just take off like that," he gently admonished, too out of breath to be more strict. The girl had been looking for the queen to arrive to eat breakfast with them as they had been since she first woke up. It broke her heart when one of the maids brought them breakfast but informed them that Elsa wasn't coming. Synnöve immediately took off running trying to remember where Gerda had showed her the dining hall. She didn't know what she wanted to say to her or what her discovery had even truly meant but of one thing she was certain; she didn't want her father to pull away.

"I'm sorry," Synnöve whined her apology into Elsa's shoulder pitifully, not wanting to pull away from her. Realizing that the girl wasn't going to release her anytime soon, Elsa slowly stood up, hefting her into her arms. Synnöve adjusted and laid her head in the crook of her neck and allowed the queen to carry her.

"Mathia," Elsa called, turning to address the maid in the room. "I'm finished. Could you please bring the papers on the table to my study?" she requested. The meek brunette girl nodded earnestly and moved to clear away the remnants of her queen's breakfast while Elsa glided out of the room alongside Kristoff.

"She was distraught, you know. About you not being there this morning," Kristoff stated as they rounded the corner. Elsa cast him an even look and he frowned pointedly. "You can't just drop a bomb like that on a kid then disappear Elsa," he ground out.

"We'll discuss this privately," Elsa replied sharply, glancing down at Synnöve who was still sniffling and playing with the queen's collar. Kristoff huffed and looked like he'd argue but he dropped it, not wanting to upset his niece any further. They turned into the sick wing to find Anna sitting at the edge of her bed, finally in a regular dress with her hair loose down her back. Elsa momentarily paused to appreciate her form but quickly gathered herself and sat opposite her on the other bed. Anna looked like she was ready to chew Elsa out as well but the queen shook her head.

"She won't let go. Later," Elsa mouthed. Anna begrudgingly nodded and watched as Elsa stroked their six year old's back and kissed her head. Eventually Synnöve broke the uncomfortable silence, leaning back a little to look at Elsa.

"You're my daddy but...can I call you daddy if you're a girl too? I already have a momma..." she asked, confusion all over her face. Elsa couldn't help but smile, gently shaking her head.

"Sweetheart, you can call me whatever you want," Elsa replied momentarily glancing up at Anna. Her expression was unreadable but there was a storm roiling in her eyes. "But...maybe we can hold off on that for now? When the time is right, you can call me something else that you feel comfortable with." Anna's face seemed to relax a little bit, grateful that Elsa was at least trying to consider her feelings on the manner. Synnöve played with her fingers for a moment then looked back up at Elsa then down again, clearly wanting ask something. "Go ahead. It's okay."

"You want me, right?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes Sweetheart, I do. Honestly, I do. I don't think I've ever wanted something this badly in my life," Elsa replied, gently knocking her forehead with Synnöve's.

"Not even Momma?" Elsa paused, glanced at Anna then back at Synnöve.

"I think she may have been the exception," Elsa answered truthfully. She could see Anna avert her eyes and Kristoff cross his arms in her peripheral view but she wasn't going to lie to Synnöve any longer. She may not have wanted her to learn everything the way she had but Elsa wasn't going to do the same thing she did to Anna and push her away. Clearly Synnöve had some unsorted feelings about not knowing who her father was that no one had noticed before. Unsorted feelings about _her_. She wasn't going to lie to her.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door and Elsa turned her head to see Vivienne stepping into the room. She smiled brightly at Kristoff, stopped to nod to the queen then wrapped Anna up in a big hug. Synnöve turned around and settled in Elsa's lap which Vivienne took notice of in surprise.

"Good Morning Ms. Vivienne," she greeted cheerfully but she made no move to leave the queen's lap. Vivienne leaned in and pecked the girl soundly on the cheek then sat across from her, next to Anna.

"Good morning to you Synn. How has your day gone so far?" she asked innocently as she pulled the bag she brought with her around to her front. She didn't notice the way everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably.

"It was fine," Synnöve replied, playing with one of her pigtails. "What about yours?"

"Oh, just fine?" Synnöve nodded. "Well mine was just fine as well, I guess. Though I brought your momma here a few things for her hair," Vivienne said, looking at Anna with a wide grin. Anna's face lit up immediately and she looked into the bag Vivienne had brought. "And don't worry, I'll do it for you. Papa doesn't want the wound to get irritated so he said that someone else has to do it for you."

"I don't care how! I'm just glad I can wash it. God, it must smell," Anna replied excitedly, smiling genuinely. Elsa stared at her longingly, her bright smile bringing a small one of her own to her lips. She'd missed lots of things about Anna terribly but it was her smile she'd missed the most. No matter how terrible a day of _queening_ she'd endured, Anna's smile and warm embrace unwound every knot in her body. She'd been such a fool to let her go and if the gentle touches Vivienne placed on Anna were any indication, Elsa was sure she'd never get her back. Anna had moved on and frankly, it was time she actually made an effort to do the same. She was already twenty nine, pushing thirty and she needed to get over Anna.

There had been suitors after Anna's sudden expulsion from all over, all trying to vy for the queen's attention but none of them could make her feel the way Anna could. Most of them seemed to recognize that after two years of constant proposals and the vast majority eventually backed off. Some still tried though so every now and then, Elsa would greet someone in her throne room who would promptly drop to one knee and declare undying love. She'd only taken one suitor on seriously after her breakup with Anna as a means to try and forget her and things actually progressed nicely between she and Dorothea, the duchess. Elsa was just going through the motions with her though and eventually broke it off when she realized that she was just unfairly stringing her along. Watching the two of them prattle on, she figured Anna was probably better off with the doctor's daughter anyhow.

Elsa cleared her throat, shaking off the uneasy tingle of magic that came with jealousy and gently shifted Synnöve off of her lap. "Sweetheart, I have to get back to my queening. I'd stay longer but someone important is coming to meet me shortly and it'd be rude of me to not greet them properly," she told her, gently smoothing back her hair. Synnöve nodded sadly but she didn't cry, knowing full well that she couldn't have the queen's attention the entire day. She leaned up and pecked her cheek and Elsa did the same before she stood and left the room. Anna frowned at her back as she walked out, glancing over to Synnöve who's eyes were now downcast.

"Synn, do you want to help Viv here wash my hair? I think this may be a two woman job," she asked her. Synnöve nodded enthusiastically and jumped down from the cot she was sitting on, taking her mother's proffered hand. As the girls went about their activities, Kristoff decided he'd head down to the stables to check in on Sven. Even if he didn't like Elsa for breaking her sister's heart, he did appreciate her keeping her word. She said she'd care for them and she did and Sven was receiving round the clock care from excellent stable hands and farriers.

Just as he was coming down the staircase leading towards the grand foyer, he heard the sound of Elsa's heels tapping against the polished floors. She came from the grand hall and was heading towards the large set of doors with gusto, flanked by Kai and Gerda. Kristoff suddenly felt like he was intruding but he was curious to see who Elsa said she was meeting. One of guards opened up the doors just as a woman was stepping up alongside a guard escort. "Elsa, it's so good to see you again!" exclaimed a high voice. A blur launched itself at the queen which she caught with practiced ease, holding her tightly. "Oh I've missed you sooooo much!" Elsa couldn't help but laugh as she wrapped her younger cousin up in a tight hug, kissing her cheeks.

"I can't believe it. Wha-what are you doing here? I received a letter telling me that Duke Iwan was coming in your stead," Elsa said as she untangled herself from her Rapunzel. "I wish I'd known you were coming, I'd have prepared better accommodations for you."

"Make that two," Gerda said as she spied another coming through the door just before Rapunzel threw herself at her next.

"Actually make that four," Eugene said as he came through, a bouncy four year old boy at his side.

"Oh it's wonderful to see you too Eugene and you Prince Robin," Elsa greeted, extending her hands to the prince consort. Eugene took them both and kissed her cheek then looked down at his son who was staring up at Elsa in utter awe.

"Robin, manners," Rapunzel stated as she detached herself from Gerda, stepping behind him and guiding him up to the queen. "This is Queen Elsa of Arendelle, your aunt," she told him. They were technically cousins as well but Rapunzel didn't feel like explaining the age difference to him as of yet. The boy swallowed thickly once hearing what his mother said and then the little brunette straightened up as tall as he possibly could before bowing low at the waist.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, your Majesty!" he all but shrieked. "My name is Prince Robin Fitzherbert of Corona!" He then straightened back up and gestured for Elsa to come down to him. Leaning down, Elsa was greeted with a kiss on her cheek which roused another set of giggles from her.

"Well met, mighty Prince Robin of Corona," she said, chastely kissing his cheek as well. His face turned bright red like a tomato and he shuffled his feet, unsure what to do in the presence of such a beautiful woman. Elsa smiled then she leaned back up to address something. Eugene had said four. "Is the Duke here with you? Or did you have a second child and not tell me?" she asked in jest. Her face was calm and she knew she should feel more excited to see her beloved cousin but Rapunzel always did have the worst timing.

"Oh the Duke will be along in a few days time. It'll be four when he arrives," Rapunzel replied. "But I'm glad that he's coming later because I'll have the extra time to spend with you!" she added, jumping on her cousin again, kissing her face.

"Don't wring her neck now, Dear," Eugene told his wife as they ventured further inside. Kristoff quickly ran back up the steps as quietly as he could and sprinted out of sight. He didn't even know why he ran but he figured it partly had to do with him not knowing how to act with royalty. Elsa was a special case; he was short, dismissive and even rude to her but she accepted it because she knew she deserved it. He even called her by her first name on a regular basis. He wouldn't get away with that with other royals, even of a lower standing. He didn't move until they left the foyer, only a few maids and butlers behind toting things from the carriage Elsa's guests had arrived in.

He crossed over to the side doors that lead out to the stables and quickly saddled up his animal companion. The reindeer was cheery this morning, happy to have woken up to a whole bucket of fresh carrots waiting for him. If it were up to Sven, they'd never leave. Kristoff took him out for a ride, leaving the castle's walls and sticking to the hilly areas of the kingdom. As big as the castle was, Kristoff didn't want to spend all of his time inside and with Vivienne there to spend some time with his sister and niece, he took some time to himself to get away and think about what was happening.

To say that his life had been turned upside down in the last few days was a serious understatement. First he lost his business for the time being, then he nearly lost his family and then he lost his home. He honestly thought it was kind of funny how all of those terrible things happened all within a few days of each other and ironically enough, the person who saved them from it all was the one person they'd hoped never to see again. He knew Elsa and Anna would find each other again eventually but he hadn't anticipated it all being so dramatic. "After all, she is her true love..." he groused.

Anna was holding on to a very important secret and Kristoff was conflicted about keeping it that way. When he found out that Anna had told Elsa about how she went to see the trolls about having a baby, she left out a crucial piece of the explanation. The enchantment they cast on her had one serious stipulation and would only work if that one thing were fulfilled; Anna had to perform it with her true love. He would be forever pissed off with Elsa for throwing his sister out on the street but he also knew that Anna would be miserable for the rest of her life without her. No one she'd love after the queen would be quite as perfectly suited for her like she was. He wanted her to be happy but why did it have to be with Elsa?

Anna had been interested in other women over the years but it was never serious or they just never really clicked. She was content but Kristoff could tell that she longed for love. She always had; she'd been a romantic at heart since she was born but Kristoff couldn't guide her this time. At the end of the day, this was something Anna was going to have to decide for herself. She was going to have to choose to forgive Elsa if she wanted to be her happiest.

* * *

Anna leaned up as Vivienne wrapped her tresses up in a towel and gently rubbed her scalp dry, careful not to agitate the skin too much. Synnöve sat on the lip of the empty claw foot tub, kicking her feet and singing a song. Vivienne hummed along to the tune while Anna relaxed against her, eyes falling shut. The process was slow but when she was finished, Vivienne gently shook Anna's shoulder. "Hey, hey. You didn't fall asleep did you?" she said, folding the towel up.

"Mmm, no. But you know I love it when you play with my hair," Anna replied as Vivienne gently brushed her hair. She parted her hair and started to brain it into her usual twins braids, figuring it'd stress her scalp the least.

"Of course. You practically turn into a kitten. Isn't that right, Synnöve?" Vivienne asked, chuckling as the girl nodded to agree.

"It's soothing!" Anna replied, crossing her arms. In truth, that stemmed from Elsa. The queen used to spend all day writing to neighboring countries and greeting diplomats that Anna often went to bed without her. Elsa however would slide into bed beside her, light as a feather and play with her hair in the middle of the night, scratching her scalp and combing her hair with her slender fingers. Anna had become so accustomed to it that she practically depended on it for her to fall asleep. Sleeping was absolute hell for the first few months when Kristoff took her back in after their break up. Ten blankets could never warm her up the way Elsa's arms could.

When Vivienne was finished, she stepped back allowing Anna to get up to leave the washroom. Synnöve hopped down from the tub and scurried after them as they made their way through the adjacent bed chamber and out into the hallway. Anna took her daughter's hand and the three of them strolled back towards the sick wing for Vivienne's bag when they spotted Elsa and her extended family climbing the staircase. Anna resolved to simply ignore Elsa, not wanting to deal with her at the moment much less her guests but she spotted a familiar face amongst the group. "R-Rapunzel?" she said in disbelief.

The animated brunette looked up from her cousin in confusion, locking gazes with Anna before a huge smile broke out across her face. She skipped up the stairs and stopped right in front of Anna, placing her hands on her shoulders. "Anna dear!" Leaning in, Rapunzel kissed her cheek then looked back at Elsa. "Elsa, why didn't you tell me your lovely lady friend was here?" Vivienne's brow shot up and Anna felt her cheeks turning red.

"It's well… it's a very long story..." Elsa replied, not wanting to broach the complicated subject with her cousin.

"Princess, what are you doing here?" Anna asked, drawing Rapunzel's attention back.

"Actually, she is queen now, if you can believe it," Eugene interjected, smiling at his wife when she blew him a raspberry.

"Yes, my father stepped down three years ago. He's become my advisor which is more helpful than I think even he realizes," Rapunzel replied, giggling behind a hand.

"I imagine Corona must be filled to the brim with flowers then," Anna replied smiling, finally getting over her initial shock.

"Woooow. Two queens?" Synnöve said in awe, looking from Elsa to Rapunzel.

"Goodness, where are my manners!" Rapunzel exclaimed, turning to Vivienne. She offered her hands which the physician's daughter took after a slight hesitation. "Queen Rapunzel of Corona," she greeted.

"I-I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, your majesty," Vivienne replied, clearly caught off guard by how easy and inviting she was. Her movements were refined and she was dressed exquisitely in a tailored pink dress but there was a twinkle of mischief and youth in her green eyes, much like a commoner. Rapunzel then turned to Synnöve and leaned down.

"And who might this lovely young lady be?" Rapunzel asked. Synnöve crossed her hands behind her back and looked at her shoes, only peeking up at her occasionally, getting as shy and nervous as when she first met Elsa.

"This is my daughter, Synnöve. Synn..." Anna said, placing a hand on her little shoulder. "Manners. This is Queen Rapunzel. She's Elsa's cousin." The girl looked up at her mother in surprise then straightened up a little and looked Rapunzel straight in the eye. Before she could greet her properly though, Rapunzel gasped, resisting the urge to take the child face and look closer into her eyes.

"E-Elsa she...She has Uncle Adgar's eyes? _Your_ eyes," Rapunzel said in disbelief. Wheels were turning in her head and Elsa could already feel the impending headache coming on. Anna too looked alarmed and Vivienne furrowed her brow, looking from Synnöve to Elsa. Rapunzel looked back at Elsa in shock and the queen of Arendelle sighed.

"As I said, it's a long story..."

* * *

 **AN** : Okay, bare with me. I've got very clear goals and I know where I want this story to go but I'm kind of awful at the middle parts, haha. Y'know, the inbetweening?

Anyway, next chapter Rapunzel offers Elsa a little advice and Elsa broaches the subject of magic with Synn


	6. Chapter 6

When Kristoff returned from his ride and was making his way back inside, he met Eugene, Robin, Synnöve, and Vivienne sitting in the parlor. The adult pair looked worried, speaking quietly to one another while the two children played across from them. Synnöve glanced up when she spotted her uncle and waved at him. "Uncle Kristoff! Come over here," she said, turning to Robin. "Robin, this is my uncle Kristoff," she told the boy. Robin turned around and gawked at the tall, muscular man standing before him, arms crossed over his broad chest.

"Good afternoon Sir!" Robin squeaked, hiding behind his father's leg.

"Uh, hello Robin..." Kristoff replied, looking from the boy to the adults. "What is...going on here?"

"Kris, I think I should be the one asking you that," Vivienne said, furrowing her brows.

"What are you talking about?" Kristoff asked, sitting across from them,

"Synnöve's father? Is the queen?" she asked, clearly not having wrapped her head around it all. "How is something like that even possible?"

"Magic," both Kristoff and Eugene supplied. They exchanged knowing glances with one another.

"I know that it's magic but two women? Having a baby? My belief can only go so far," she continued.

"My wife used to have magic healing hair. Honestly, this isn't even the craziest thing I can imagine," Eugene replied.

"Wait, what?" Kristoff asked. He then shook his head and sighed. "Actually, I don't want to know. Where's Anna?"

"She, Elsa and my wife are speaking in the study," Eugene replied.

"So you knew? You knew the whole time about Synn's...father? God, it's so weird referring to her as that..." Vivienne groaned.

"Yes. It's a secret you're also going to have to keep. This is very sensitive information. Anna could get into a world of trouble if more people find out. Imagine what someone could do to Synn if they knew she is the daughter of the queen. Elsa's got enough enemies for just having magic and rumors have already spread in the town about the ice. Knowing her connection to the queen just paints a target on her back."

"That is crazy. This is all so crazy," Vivienne sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"You get used to it," Eugene said with a shrug. "Kris is it?"

"Kristoff."

"Eugene. My concern with all of this is what are Elsa and Anna planning to do about this? Are they going to be married?" he asked casually. Vivienne and Kristoff both looked at him like he was crazy and he raised his brows. "What?"

"If I've pieced all of this together correctly, Anna hates the queen," Vivienne replied. "She threw her out on the street and left Anna to raise Synn herself and Anna is very short with her. Honestly, I thought she was going to get herself in trouble speaking to the queen the way she does but now I understand..."

"Elsa thought Anna had been having an affair and didn't believe that magic was how she conceived Synn. They haven't spoken in six years. They are definitely not getting married," Kristoff added. ' _True love or not, my sister probably has too much pride to go back to her anyway,'_ he thought, sighing.

"Well surely something must be done. Elsa isn't going to let her go now that she's knows she has an heir," Eugene said, earning more crazy looks. "Hey, I may not be royal material but I know how much kingdoms loves their precious bloodlines and if what Rapunzel said is anything go by, the Arendelles are a long one. My wife and I were hounded to have a baby by her court after we were married and she wasn't even queen then! Of course Robin is the light of our lives but it was very overwhelming. Look, all I'm saying is, unless Elsa plans on adopting a little prince or princess or plans on having another magical baby-" Kristoff scoffed. "-Synnöve isn't walking out of her life. She's nearing thirty and Arendelles have ruled this kingdom for centuries. I'm sure her court is pressuring her. I really doubt she'd pass this up." Kristoff frowned.

Anna and Elsa had been fighting since his sister woke up and couldn't seem to agree on anything. They were both stubborn to a fault, Anna was heartbroken and Elsa was full of a queen's pride. If that was true, Anna was going to go down kicking and screaming before she handed over her daughter. He knew his sister; true love or not, Anna wouldn't compromise when it came to Synnöve.

* * *

Rapunzel sat back on the settee she was sitting on, processing the information she was fed and drew her conclusions. She had an adorable niece who clearly wanted a father in her life, her cousin and her ex-lover obviously still loved one another but neither would leap first, and most importantly, they were true loves. When Anna explained what happened with the trolls, she again did not mention that stipulation for the enchantment to be successful but Rapunzel knew better. Love was very powerful magic and she'd seen it first hand. Only something so innocent and pure as the birth of a child between two who could normally not conceive had to be the product of such magic. It however wasn't her place to tell Elsa that. Whether or not Anna withheld that information was up to her.

"Does she have your powers?" Rapunzel asked once she realized she'd just been sitting there silently, staring at them.

"She does," Elsa replied, wringing her hands together. Her cousin took notice of the nervous tick and her gloves. She'd noticed when Elsa greeted her at the door but she figured it was just a formality when expecting to greet strangers. Not too many people of power in other countries were yet ready to let their guard down around the ice queen. "She hasn't yet realized that she has them and actually only recently found out about my own. She took it surprisingly well actually..."

"Kristoff liked to tell her stories about magic so though she never knew it was real, she wasn't taught to fear magic," Anna explained, crossing her arms.

"Is that why she asked if I was the evil snow witch from her stories?" Elsa asked flatly, raising her brow.

"Kris has an interesting sense of humor," Anna stated, trying her hardest not to laugh.

"How will you let her know she has magic?" Rapunzel asked, getting back on track.

"I was hoping she'd notice it for herself the way I did but it looks like we may have to tell her if she doesn't discover them soon. She could hurt herself or someone else if she uses them without knowing..." Elsa sighed.

"Will you use gloves?"

"No!" both Anna and Elsa exclaimed together. They exchanged glances then looked back at Rapunzel.

"They are a temporary fix and they made me fear my magic more than anything growing up. I don't want her to be controlled by her powers. The gloves are just an idea; they don't actually do anything. They're just to help remind me to stay in control. She needs to master her powers so she won't need them." She didn't need to say it but they all knew what Elsa really meant to say was ' _So she won't end up like me.'_

"I don't want her to have to depend on them. If we love her and show her that we're not afraid of her powers, maybe she'll learn to control them better," Anna added, glancing at Elsa's tense hands. She felt her fingers twitch forward. Whereas the queen was able to mask emotion convincingly on her face, her hands told a different story. She wanted to hold them and intertwine Elsa's slim digits with her own and reassure her that she could control her powers. No matter how she felt about her, Anna wished she could feel safe enough to walk around without her gloves on. Elsa noticed Anna's fixation on her hands and she stilled them immediately, gripping her thighs slightly.

"Then you will guide her," Rapunzel stated more than asked. Elsa hesitated, glancing over at Anna then nodded.

"Yes, I will teach her. I think I at least owe her the knowledge to control the curse after what I've done..."

"Elsa-"

"Let's get back shall we? The others are surely waiting," Elsa cut in, standing abruptly. Turning around, she made her way out the study doors and back to the parlor. The adults stilled in anticipation, setting the air alight with tension but it was broken by Synnöve and Robin running up to her hand in hand.

"Queen Elsa! Robin and I were just talking about the horses in the stables. The palomino one? It's from Corona right?" Synnöve asked to which Elsa nodded and affirmative.

"Really? Can we see it?" Robin asked hopefully.

"Yes of course," Elsa replied. "I'll have Gerda show the both of you."

"No need. Eugene and I can show them. I remember the way," Rapunzel said as she and Anna walked into the parlor. She shot Elsa a level look as if to say ' _Talk to them'_ then took Synnöve and her son both by the hand and chatted the two up, Eugene trailing behind.

"Is everything alright? Alright as things can be at least?" Kristoff asked, glancing between his sister and the queen.

"Rapunzel took it well, considered. Magic isn't exactly stranger to her side of the family..." Elsa replied, running hand stressfully through her fringe.

"Wait...No. It's really true? About her hair?" Vivienne asked incredulously.

"Indeed it is but that is a story for another time," Elsa sighed. "The first order of business is-"

"For you to stop calling your powers a curse," Anna said adamantly, crossing her arms again.

"What?"

"How can you expect Synn to not fear her powers when you call it a curse?" Anna asked, stepping towards her. "Your hands are not tools of destruction. Your ice is beautiful and you've done so many wonderful things with it for your kingdom. How can you call it a curse?"

"Because I lose control of them so much. They do more harm than good and only strike fear into the people below me. They think I can not see it but I see it in the people just as I saw it in my parents' eyes. The little tremble of fear, the hitched breath, the wide eyes. My powers are monstrous," Elsa replied, turning away, tucking her hands under her arms.

"They are extraordinary Elsa!" Anna exclaimed as she reached out to her, grabbing her arm. She spun the queen around and held her forearms to keep her in place. " _You_ are extraordinary and with your help, Synnöve can be more than she already is. I think teaching her will do the _both_ of you some good." Elsa tried to consider what Anna said but was distracted, looking directly into her big eyes. For just a moment, there was no animosity between them. No anger or awkwardness. It was just like when Anna would comfort her on a particularly bad day before they split up.

Anna seemed to recognize this as well and she slowly removed her hands, settling them by her sides. "Thank you," Elsa said, barely a whisper to which Anna nodded.

"Your welcome Elsa. Just...please, don't apologize for your powers. After all, they are the reason Synn is here." Elsa smiled and nodded, turning her head to the side. She was right. Despite the many accidents she'd had with her powers, they were still the reason she had a daughter albeit the help from the trolls.

Kristoff frowned as he watched the two of them, unsure how he felt about the relationship they were slowly mending. It looked as though they were finally getting to a point where they could speak to one another without snapping each other's heads off but he knew better; any little upset could undo it all. "She's been using her powers, y'know. Unconsciously since she was sick," he said, gaining their attention. "Are you going to tell her?"

"We may have to. I want to start her lessons right away," Elsa replied. "The earlier she learns, the quicker she'll get used to them...Is something wrong?" Elsa asked Vivienne who was staring at her blatantly.

"I just...I still can't believe it. This is the stuff of fairy tales," the frenchwoman replied, shaking her head. "The two of you really have a child together."

"Is that a problem?" Elsa asked sharply, her brow lowering sternly.

"No not at all! It's just a lot to wrap my head around. I just...never expected to meet her other parent so imagine my surprise at finding out that of all people, it's the queen," Vivienne explained, running her fingers through her dark tresses. "I don't know if you knew but Synn is my god-daughter."

"I see. Anna must think very highly of you then," Elsa stated, folding her hands together in front of her.

"I do. Elsa, Viv is my best friend and she's been like an aunt to Synn. Please, can she...be around, for Synn's sake?" Anna asked, pleading her former lover with her eyes. Elsa tried to look away but she had the same affect as she had when they were together. She may not have realised it but she could get the queen to do practically anything for her. If she asked her to jump, she'd lift her dress and jump. If she asked her to level the North Mountain, she'd cleave into it with her magic until they could see the other side.

Elsa swallowed the lump settled in her throat and nodded. "A friend of yours is welcome here Anna," she sighed. She could see how they each lit up in each other's presence and Elsa wasn't about to try and tear them apart. If Vivienne wanted Anna, she'd have no right to try and stop her.

"Then perhaps I should go and return another time. I don't want to intrude on your time with your extended family," Vivienne said to Elsa, standing from her seat. "And, father is probably wondering where I am."

"Come back soon," Anna said, wrapping her arms around her.

"I will. I promise." The two embraced and then the frenchwoman hugged Kristoff just the same. She awkwardly debated how she should bid farewell to the queen before settling for a small curtsy to which Elsa nodded in return. When she had departed, Elsa turned and looked in the direction Rapunzel took the children.

"Well, I'd best check on their accommodations..." Elsa mumbled before she too left the parlor, leaving the siblings behind. Anna figured she'd go and join the children and Elsa's cousins in the stables and turned to go but Kristoff stopped her.

"Anna, you and Elsa...What is going on?" he asked in a hushed tone, craning his neck to make sure the queen was gone.

"What do you mean?" she asked, furrowing her brows.

"The two of you, you're speaking to each other as though she isn't the person who broke your heart," he pressed.

"Well I had to get over it sometime Kris!" she snapped back. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes with two fingers and held her elbow with her free hand. "Look, I don't want to fight with her anymore. Every time we argue, I just feel exhausted. I'm still angry but look at how close she's gotten to Synn already. Do you know how much it'd hurt her if I continued to block Elsa at every turn? I just want..." Anna paused and groaned. "I just want her to be happy."

"But what about you? Your happiness is just as important as Synn's," Kristoff argued.

"Kris, I don't know what I want for myself! I love her but I can't go down that road with her again, not this time. I want Elsa in Synn's life, it's too late to pull her back out but I don't have to let her back into my heart too," Anna said with a tone of finality, walking away from her brother. Kristoff released a long sigh as he dropped his arms to his sides, watching her go.

"But don't you see? You already have..."

* * *

When Rapunzel, Anna and the other returned from the stables, it was nearing lunch time. Elsa had gone and done as she said she would and had her best rooms prepared for her family while Kristoff perused her impressive library. Gerda went to fetch Rapunzel and the others, Kai went for Kristoff and Mathia alerted Elsa once they were finished. Elsa was first to arrive and she sat in her usual place at the head of the table. She could hear her family's approach soon after though.

"So Synn is my cousin?" she heard her nephew's squeaky voice ask.

"Yes, she's your elder cousin. Just like Elsa is to me," Rapunzel replied as they rounded the corner.

"Hear that?! We're cousins!" Robin said, looking over at Synnöve whose hand he was still holding.

"I've never had cousins before," she stated, looking both giddy and confused. "It's always just been my momma and Uncle Kristoff. Maybe if Uncle Kristoff gets married, I can have more cousins!" Anna giggled, walking up behind them to the table. Several maids pulled out chairs for them for them to be seated.

"If you're waiting for him to have children, you'll be grown before you have more cousins," Anna replied jokingly.

"Hey!" Kristoff exclaimed as he entered from a door on the other side of the hall. "I heard that!" he said as he strode over, sitting opposite his sister.

"Hahahaha, it's true Kris!"

"It is not!"

Eugene was seated to Elsa's right, then Robin then Kristoff and Rapunzel was seated to her left, then Synnöve and then Anna. The table laughed at Kristoff's expense as his cheeks colored and Elsa took a moment to absorb the light feeling in the room. She hadn't eaten with anyone in her dining hall in years, nevermind family. It filled her with a warmth that she knew she'd have a difficult time letting go when they'd all eventually go. Rapunzel was grinning ear to ear, telling Synnöve about Corona, Anna was teasing her brother, Robin was asking his father questions about Arendelle and Elsa felt a smile sneak onto her face. So this is what it was supposed to feel like?

She longed for the days when her parents were still alive. When guests roamed the castle halls and music was always playing. Elsa hadn't gone a day without greeting a new face but then her parents perished on a trip to Maldonia when she was sixteen. Duchess Sofia was appointed as her regent by her court and Elsa shut herself away. The once busy halls were then quiet and lonesome. The castle was as depressing as its mistress, that is until she met Anna in the square after she was crowned.

Having Anna in the castle was like having her parents around; she brought the best out of her. She brought light back to the dreary place and she got through to Elsa like no one else could. For the first time in years, Elsa stopped eating every meal in her study while she worked and Anna managed to get her outside for more than her cursory walks outside the walls or strained visits in the kingdom. She got the queen to ride her mare again, to open up the courtyard in the summertime to freeze over for the children in the town to skate, to spend more time in the kingdom with her people. Anna was practically a Godsend and here she was again, laughing at her table bringing more light back into her life.

Lunch was served and the table quieted down to enjoy the meal Elsa's chefs had prepared. The queen smiled at the spread laid before them knowingly; her head chefs Adolfo and Katrine were probably delighted for guests that they could cook for. Elsa wasn't a particularly big eater and even if she was, she was just one person. No fun at all for two of them. Conversation carried on and Elsa was roped in a few times but she mostly opted to simply eat and watch her family interact with each other contently. They were mostly through their meal however when Synnöve suddenly covered her mouth and sneezed.

She wiggled her little nose then opened her eyes as the table went silent. Her entire plate had frosted over to their surprise. "Wha-Did I do that?" she asked timidly, staring at the ice in front of her. She looked over at her mother then turned and looked at Elsa whose eyes were wide. "Do I have magic too? Like you?" she asked quietly.

Elsa opened her mouth but her words died on her tongue so she settled for a nod. Synnöve's face scrunched up in thought as she looked down at her hands. "T-then it was me..."

"What?" Anna asked, placing a hand on her daughter's back. Synnöve flinched away however, leaning away from her touch.

"I d-destroyed our house! I can remember all the ice!" Synnöve said in a panicked tone, pushing out her chair. She quickly jumped down from her seat then gasped at the ice creeping along the floor, stemming from her direction.

"Synn, don't be afraid!" Anna said, jumping out of her seat as well but as soon as the girl heard her push out her chair as well, she ran off. She bolted out one of the doors, the guard there hesitant to put his hands on her and she was gone. Anna was ready to run after her but Elsa wiped her mouth, threw her handkerchief down then stood up.

"Let me go after her. We need to have a talk any how..." Elsa said as she strode after the girl, having a pretty good idea of where she would have gone. She stopped momentarily to speak with Mathia then left the dining hall. Anna was frozen for a moment but she eventually slid back into her seat and sighed, placing her head in her hands. She didn't like it but she knew that this was a conversation that only Elsa could have with her daughter.

Elsa on the other hand, wrung her hands together as her heels clicked through the halls. This was obviously not how she foresaw Synnöve learning of her powers and unfortunately, she didn't seem too thrilled about them. Turning into the open door of the portrait room, she spied her daughter sitting on a chesterfield looking downtrodden. She shut the door a little louder than necessary to alert the girl that she was there but Synnöve barely reacted. She simply turned her head to the side and bit her lower lip.

"Synnöve, I know you're scared," Elsa said once she reached her, sitting next to her. The girl caved in on herself a little, gripping the fabric of her dress. "It's okay to be scared, you know?" That seemed to catch the girl off guard. She looked up at Elsa who was gazing across the room at the painting of Joan of Arc hanging on the wall opposite them.

"I destroyed the house..." Synnöve said solemnly.

"I froze over the kingdom," Elsa replied, leaning back a little in the chesterfield, folding her hands in her lap.

"W-what?"

"It was before you were born. My powers were a secret when I was a child but when I became queen, I panicked. I was so afraid that I hadn't learned enough or that I was still too young and inexperienced. I was crowned queen and I panicked at my coronation ball, freezing over a portion of the ballroom when a foreign duke pressured me," Elsa explained before she looked down at her daughter.

"It was a moment of weakness and I reacted badly. I ran off, into the North Mountain. It took me nearly three days to catch myself before I returned and I had to fix the mess that I made but I realized something up there. Something your mother helped me to remember when I met her a few months after..." Elsa removed her left glove and with a practiced flick of her wrist, an ice sculpture of Synnöve appeared before them in a flurry of wind and snow.

Synnöve jumped down from the chesterfield and ran over to it, peering at it in wonder. She looked back at Elsa in excitement then down at her own hands as if pondering if she could do that too. Elsa stood and walked over, kneeling beside her. "Magic is strange and powerful but beautiful and with it, I can make beautiful things," Elsa said, gesturing to the sculpture on the last part.

"But what about my house?" the girl asked, her brow scrunching up in worry. "Uncle Kristoff hasn't said anything but that was his house. He said his grandpa built it and I destroyed it..."

"A house can be rebuilt but your uncle cares more about you than a house. He rushed in to save you and didn't even think twice about it," Elsa replied. "Say, Synnöve? How much of that day do you remember?"

"Not much really...I was actually cold for once. Momma was there beside me like always but then she said my name and got out of bed. My eyes were really heavy so I didn't see much but I remember seeing ice. Ice was everywhere! It didn't make any sense until now..."

"You didn't think it was me after you found out about my powers?" Elsa asked.

"Well, why would you destroy my house?" Synnöve asked, looking up confused. Elsa let out a bitter chuckle and nodded. She was smart. Synnöve looked back over at the sculpture and gently touched the creation with her fingertips.

"Will you...maybe, show me how to do this?" she asked carefully.

"I think ice sculptures may be a little out of your league Sweetheart," Elsa said with a chuckle. "But I will show you how to control them and maybe one day, you can make an ice sculpture too. Even bigger and better than mine."

"Really?!" Synnöve asked excitedly. Elsa smiled and placed a hand on her back.

"Of course. Though I should tell you, I _am_ pretty good at ice sculptures," Elsa said as she stood back up. "Perhaps I'll have to show you my ice palace in the mountains some day when you're older," she added, feigning an air of indifference. Synnöve's mouth fell open comically and Elsa couldn't contain her laughter.

"An ice palace!?" the girl asked, spreading open her arms wide. "This big?!" Elsa rubbed her chin as if she were thinking than spread open her arms wide as well.

"At _least_ this big!" she replied, giggling as her daughter's eyes twinkled with wonder.

"Woooow! When can I see?" Synnöve asked, bouncing on her heels.

"Some day in the future. I promise. The North Mountain isn't safe right now," Elsa replied. Synnöve nodded in understanding then watched as Elsa waved the sculpture of her away with a flick of the same wrist. Elsa then offered a hand to her which the girl took.

"Ready to head back?" she asked the girl. Synnöve nodded and they walked together towards the door.

"When will you teach me how to do magic?" the girl asked, glancing up at Elsa.

"We'll begin tomorrow if your mother approves. I have something important to take care of tonight. How does that sound?" the queen replied, pushing the door open.

"Great!"

* * *

 **AN** : Alright, next chapter Elsa deals with an issue but ends up getting hurt in the process.

Also, don't be too mad at Vivienne. Just...trust me XD

Fun fact about Viv though. She was originally supposed to be Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame but then I made her father Emeric and I started thinking about what she would do in this story and my end goal with her and she became too out of character so I dropped her, making her an OC instead. I pretty much kept her look the same though so if you're trying to imagine what she looks like, Viv looks like Esmeralda


	7. Chapter 7

The air was thick with tension when Synnöve and Elsa returned hand in hand but everyone seemed to release a collective sigh when they all saw the bright smile on the child's face. Elsa led her back over to the table where her plate had been replaced by Mathia. "Finish up Sweetheart. Magic actually consumes a lot of energy and requires you to be well fed," Elsa told her. The girl nodded and went back to eating as though nothing had happened. When Elsa leaned back up, Anna was looking at her questioningly to which Elsa gave a slight nod, indicating that everything was fine. She then cleared her throat a little and addressed them all.

"I'll be taking my leave now. I have some business to attend to. It shouldn't be long," Elsa said, glancing over at Rapunzel. "But it is important and I need to deal with it now. Please continue to eat. Adolfo and Katrine made dessert," she added with a smile, watching the way her daughter and nephew both perked up. She then turned and made her way back out of the dining hall, in the direction of her room. She stopped to send a message with Kai and then strode down the hall.

Once inside her room, she stripped off the dark green high collared dress she'd chosen for the day until she was standing in her undergarments. Then with practiced flicks of her wrists, snow swirled around her as she fashioned herself an outfit of ice comprised of a white riding shirt, breeches and a light coat. She'd be going into the mountains and even if the cold air didn't bother her in the least bit, she knew Gerda wouldn't let her go anywhere if she didn't bundle herself up appropriately. There'd be little snow if any but she really didn't want to hear it.

Trading her ice heels for tall boots and fastening the coat shut, she met her captain of the guard in the hall and walked with him, flanked by Oleg. "The horses are prepared and the men await you in the courtyard," Gamal said as he marched alongside her down the staircase towards the grand foyer. "Your majesty?" he asked after a beat. Receiving a nod, he continued. "Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to go with us into the mountains."

"Yes I'm sure Captain. I need to see for myself just how much of a problem the wolves are," Elsa replied as the doorman pulled the doors open for them. She knew it was ridiculous; a queen would never venture into danger willingly even with her guards. It was dangerous and reckless but all the sudden changes in the last few days were starting to make her increasingly more anxious. It hadn't even been two weeks ago that she still thought she'd never see Anna again and was without the knowledge of their magical child. She needed to get away from the castle and its inhabitants and think about something else, even if it was just for a few hours. Besides, she had magic. What could go wrong?

Outside in the courtyard stood a few other men she had Gamal hire on for their assessment. A large, hairy, red-headed giant of a man stood by a sled with a full-grown, braided beard covering his broad chin. His large hands rested on his wide belt which an axe was tucked into and his arms bulged with muscle evident of rigorous labor. He looked rugged but experienced and had a smile the size of the kingdom. "Your majesty, this is Benno Nimitz. He'll be tasked with leading us through the forest," the captain said, gesturing to him.

"I know them routes like the back ah ma hand! I'll get yah there an back, safe an sound," Benno stated with a hearty laugh. Elsa could feel a grin tug at her lips at the very sight of such a jolly man brimming with personality. Gamal then gestured to the slimmer man beside him. He was thin and young, looking to be about her own age yet he held himself with professionalism. His blonde hair was short and naturally curly and his face held peculiar facial markers indicating that he wasn't only Arendellian. He was dressed for the weather, had a sash of fox fur tied tightly around his slim waist and Elsa took notice of a crossbow and quiver slung over his back.

"This is Filibert Quang. He'll be keeping his eyes open for wolves that we may encounter and this-" Gamal gestured to the last man standing off to the side, a cigar hanging off his lips. He had dark, cropped hair with a white streak running through, harsh sideburns, and some scruff under his lips. He had thin, grey eyes and an old scar running from his right jaw up to just below his right eye. There was a bag resting by his feet, a rope hanging off of his belt and a knife tucked in at the side. He was easily the eldest of the group. "-is Gerald Heinz, Quang's partner. He's a tracker and an expert on wild animals, particularly wolves. He'll be tracking them down and suggesting the measures to take once the situation has been assessed." The captain then turned to the three men who were now looking to the queen.

"Men? Your majesty, Queen Elsa," he said as the three of them dropped into some form of a bow.

"I never thought I'd ever end up working fer the queen! Hell, I'm excited!" Benno said as he straightened back up.

"I am pleased to be of service," Filibert added before looking over at his partner. "As is Gerald. We will do our best to ensure your safety."

"I look forward to working with the three of you. I trust the captain's judgement. If he chose you, then I believe you are suited to the task at hand," Elsa replied before stepping down and making her way over to the shire horse saddled up for her. "Shall we go? I'd not like to stay out too late into the night. The wolves may catch us in the dark."

"Of course," Filibert replied as he turned to the sled, climbing in beside Benno. Gerald fastened his bag to the saddle of the stallion before him then climbed up and swung his leg over, settling on the horse. Gamal and Oleg followed suit, mounting their horses as Elsa settled herself atop her mare. Petting the side of her head, Elsa took her reins and they set off. Keeping to the far side of the kingdom, the group came into formation when they reached the edge, leading into the forest. Benno and his sled took the head flanked by Gerald then Elsa and Oleg followed by Gamal.

The ride was uneventful for the most part as they traversed the forest. Elsa engaged in a casual conversation with Oleg who was stiff at first but eventually began speaking to her normally. Benno too was trying to lighten the mood with Filibert and Gerald but his sled-mate only engaged occasionally and Gerald outright ignored him in favor of keeping his focus on the forest. Elsa learned from Benno and Filibert's conversations that Filibert and Gerald were first cousins and that indeed, Filibert was mixed; Arendellian and Vietnamese and subsequently so was his cousin. She also learned that Benno was Filibert's brother-in-law and that he had fathered four children, three daughters and a son. Gerald also apparently had a son as well but Filibert hadn't had children yet, something about he and his husband being not yet ready for kids.

Benno was telling an engaging story about a time he was out in the mountains when he suddenly quieted down. His head snapped to the side, big brown eyes tracking movement to their side. "D'yah see that?" he asked, keeping his deep voice low. "I think we may have found em."

Filibert drew his crossbow and balanced it on the side of the sled, scanning the woods with a keen eye. They'd been out there a few hours, the sun was already descending beyond the trees and they had found some scat and some other evidence of the presence of wolves but hadn't actually seen a wolf yet. It was enough for Gerald however as he marked places on a map of the routes where traps could be set up and where guards would patrol safely. As they all scanned around Gerald perked up, shifting his second cigar with his teeth, pointing off a little way in the distance. "There," he said gruffly. Elsa looked forward to see what looked like the wheel of a cart. The closer they got, the more they could see of a damaged, overturned caravan.

It'd been raided and two of the wheels were either missing or broken. They stopped beside it and Elsa dismounted to get a better look. Oleg quickly followed behind her, his hand tight on his spear and Gerald approached as well to see if wolves had been through it. Pulling a flap of fabric from the broken vehicle, Elsa peered inside, reaching for some of the contents inside. While Oleg watched her back, Gerald looked at the damage then observed the hoof marks leading away.

"Lookin' like they were chased," Benno said, getting down from the sled to look at the path the wheels took before the caravan crashed. "Poor sods, probably fled at the sight of em but damaged a wheel tryin' to get away. Nobody's in there, right?"

"No, they made it away," Gerald replied, shifting his cigar again. He then pointed to the tracks in the dirt. "Those tracks lead North East. They took the horse and left the caravan."

"You are correct. They were from Sweden," Elsa said as she produced a torn inventory. "They were coming to deliver and were attacked. This is not going to go over well..."

"Why are we only seeing this now?" Oleg asked.

"No one else would'a came this far," Benno replied, scratching his bearded chin.

"Gerald!" Filibert called out as he lifted his crossbow from the edge of the sled. He took aim just as his cousin turned around to see three wolves staring back at them, just a few meters away. Oleg kept his eyes on them as he slowly ushered Elsa back out of the caravan while Gerald carefully drew the knife on his belt.

"Four more on our right," Gamal said as he dismounted, drawing his spear up.

"Two to the north," Benno supplied, grabbing his axe from his belt.

"They drew us in. Clever bastards," Gerald muttered, spitting his cigar. It felt like time was crawling at a snail's pace as everyone tried not to provoke the wolves to attack. They couldn't see a way out of it though; they were effectively trapped. Everyone was coiled with tension when there was a snap and suddenly the three Gerald was facing leapt at him. Elsa swung her arm and ice shot out of the ground in spikes, cutting one off and tearing into the flesh of another but one still slipped through. She was not fast enough to stop it but Filibert fired off an arrow which pierced its side. She could hear the other wolves mobilize after that and suddenly everyone was moving around her. Oleg and Gamal took up a defensive position on either side of her.

Benno grunted as he swung his axe, trying to protect the startled horses from the two wolves ahead of them. One dove for his ankle but Elsa quickly fired off a shot of ice, knocking it in the side, freezing over one of its hindlegs. Filibert quickly notched another arrow then swung around and shot it off at one of the four that were quickly approaching from the right. He missed however and a lone wolf from the south sailed over the side of the sled, going for his throat. The bowman quickly used his crossbow to guard his face then kicked out against the animal, throwing it back over the side of the sled. Gerald rushed to aid his cousin, knifing the wolf with a quick stab and twist to the neck. One of the four wolves tried to take advantage of his position and charged at him.

"Behind you!" Gamal called out to Gerald. The tracker wouldn't be able to turn in time however so the captain quickly shot forward, stabbing at the wolf with his spear. Oleg was keeping one of the remaining right three at bay with his own spear and Elsa shot at the other two that were going for Gamal's now exposed back. Benno swung his axe with a grunt, hitting the last one going after him and the horses square in the temple with the broadside. It fell limp then tried to shake it off but couldn't get back up. Benno then ran to assist Elsa in keeping back the two that were still trying to get to the captain.

"Out of the way Benno!" Filibert shouted, taking aim at one of them. Benno moved clear as an arrow tore through the leg of one then swung his axe down on the other, flattening the animal to the ground under the force. Gerald, who'd managed to pull his knife from the wolf he'd stabbed, whirled around to see Gamal finally pierce the wolf that was after him and Elsa freeze one of the front legs of the wolf Oleg was keeping back.

"That all of em?" Benno asked, wiping his brow. He got his answer however when the wolf Elsa had blocked with ice in the initial attack leapt at the queen. It had found its way around the ice and the caravan while the other wolves kept them all too busy to notice its approach. Elsa shrieked as it jumped at her side, taking her to the ground under its paws. It reeled it's head back then bit down on her right arm, tearing through her coat, shredding right to her skin. The immediate pain halted any magic she could have conjured rendering her effectively powerless.

Gerald dove at it, knocking the wolf from the queen and pinned the bloody, snarling animal to the ground. It snapped at him, trying to get free but Gerald held on tightly. Quickly Oleg lifted his spear above his head and pierced the wolf in the side of head, pressing down until it stopped moving and was sure it wouldn't move again. Gamal dropped his weapon and immediately went to Elsa's side. Her face was screwed in pain as she clutched her injured forearm to her chest, biting her lip to keep from crying.

"That'll get infected! Get er in the sled! We gotta haul ass back to town!" Benno said, coming to her side as well. Gamal wasted no time in scooping her up bridal style, quickly carrying her over to the sled. He deposited her inside and Benno climbed in beside her, allowing her to lean on him. Filibert jumped out and took the reins of Elsa's horse while Gerald went to take a look at the wound on Elsa's arm.

"Damn, this doesn't look good at all," he said, cutting away parts of the shredded coat, only mildly surprised that it just melted away once cut. "Benno! The bourbon!" He then reached into his jacket and rustled around in the pocket until he produced a kerchief while the giant handed over a half empty bottle of bourbon. Gerald pulled the cork with his teeth then poured some over her wound. The queen hissed, jerking away but Gerald held tightly. He tied his kerchief over the wound then stepped away, corking the bottle. "Go, we'll catch up," he said to Benno before tossing the bottle back into the sled.

Benno turned the sled around and off he rode, Gamal thundering after them on his horse. Gerald threw his head back and sighed in frustration. "What _queen_ goes wolf hunting?!"

"The kind that saved Benno with her magic powers," Filibert shot back as he tried to calm Elsa's horse enough to ride her. Oleg pulled his spear from the wolf with a grunt, then going to collect Gamal's which he'd discarded in his haste.

"She's actually quite useful in a fight," Oleg mumbled. "But I was supposed to be looking after her and I didn't see it and now she's been injured," Oleg said, running a hand stressfully through his hair.

"She'll be fine. If she were a common woman, she'd die of infection probably but she's queen. She'll get better medicine for that bite than a man with his leg sawn off," Gerald replied, producing another cigar from his jacket. His fingers trembled as he tried to light a match however and after he struggled for a few moments, unable to get them steady, he harrumphed and tossed it on the ground. Filibert pat him on the back knowingly; he was tough but he could tell his cousin was just as worried about the queen as the rest of them.

* * *

Gamal rode on ahead of the sled, cutting through the square to race to the castle as fast as possible. Benno was forced to ride along the harbor to avoid running into anyone which unfortunately took a little extra time. When he reached the defensive gates, they were wide open waiting for him thanks to Gamal. He pulled on the reigns, stopping the horses in the courtyard then jumped out, hoisting the queen along with him. He supported her weight easily as he met up with Gamal who'd already alerted Kai and Gerda. The head maid scurried with him to the sick wing while Kai sent for Elsa's physicians.

"What in heaven's name happened?!" Gerda asked, looking over at Elsa as they ran, her skirts gathered in her hands.

"She was bitten by a wolf. It looked pretty bad," Benno replied as they turned into the sick wing.

"A wolf!? Captain! How could this have happened!?" Gerda cried, looking to Gamal whose face was immediately overcome with guilt.

"We were attacked. We did not see the last one approach. If it could have been me..."

"No, Captain. I'm sorry. I'm sure you did everything that you could have," Gerda replied, sighing while Benno laid the queen down.

All the shouting and hurried footsteps must have reached the ears of her family because before long, Rapunzel, Anna, Flynn, Kristoff and the children all appeared in the doorway.

"Oh my go-Elsa!" Anna exclaimed, pressing her way through, running to her side. "What in heaven's name happened!?" She looked down at the arm Elsa was still clutching, seeing all the blood that had seeped through the kerchief tied around it onto her clothing.

"We were attacked by wolves," Benno said, stepping back. It was only then that Anna noticed the large man standing on her other side, a bloody axe belted at his waist.

"What the hell were you all doing out there!?"

"Assessin' the wolf problem in the mountains. We found a caravan torn to shreds out there and we stopped to check it out. Damn things came at us, a whole group of em," Benno explained.

"Why was Elsa out there with you? If I'd known that _this_ is what she was leaving to do, I'd have kept her here!" Anna yelled, looking back down at Elsa.

A few maids with some nursing experience made their way in, making themselves busy until a doctor arrived. One removed the rest of Elsa's coat, the other got started on her shirt and the third shooed everyone but Gerda out. Anna didn't look like she was going to go without a fight but Gerda placed a tender hand on her shoulder and assured her that she'd be fine. When she stepped outside, she was met with a sobbing Synnöve, a teary-eyed Robin, a guilty looking captain and Kristoff, a restless looking Benno, and a worried Rapunzel and Eugene. Anna opened her arms to her daughter which the child leapt into and she rubbed her back, shushing her gently.

"She's going to be okay Sweet Pea. Elsa will be fine," she told her, kissing the side of her head.

"I j-just got her!" Synnöve whined, burying her face in her mother's shoulder. "I j-just found m-my daddy. I can't l-lose her now." Anna clutched her close, leaning against the hallway.

"I promise Synn. She'll pull through with a clean bill of health. Who else will do her queening?" Anna said, getting the girl to calm down. Just then, quick footsteps could be heard as Oleg rounded the corner flanked by Filibert and Gerald.

"Is she okay Captain? Is the physician here yet?" Oleg asked Gamal, passing him his forgotten spear.

"The physician has not yet arrived," Gamal replied, patting his lieutenant's shoulder in thanks. As if to stress that point, a sharp exclamation of pain came from the room. Everyone tensed up at the sound but something distracted Anna.

"Gerald? Gerald Heinz?" She asked tentatively, looking the tracker up and down. He turned his head and raised his brow, looking at Anna like she had two heads until realization replaced his confusion.

"Miss Anna," he said in disbelief, scratching the back of his head. His gaze dropped to the girl in his arms and his expression softened. "Synnöve..."

"You know her?" Filibert asked, looking from his cousin to Anna then back.

"Sort of…" Gerald sighed.

"Our children go to school together," Anna replied. Synnöve glanced over at Gerald and the man averted his eyes in what looked like shame.

"Fil, you're bleeding," Benno said, looking over the blonde, breaking the strange tension. The bowman looked down at his now dirty clothes and waved it off.

"It's just a scratch. Probably from when the one Gerald got jumped on me. Are you okay?" he asked back.

"I'm fine. The Queen's got great aim, heh," Benno replied, looking down at his axe. He noticed the way Robin and Synnöve were staring at it though and he quickly reached into his pocket for his own kerchief. He wiped the blade clean as best as he could then wiped his hands free of what he'd then realized was the queen's blood.

"What do you mean?" Eugene asked, raising his brow.

"She saved his hide," Gerald stated, leaning up against the wall. "Beast would have torn his Achilles had she not been there," he elaborated, crossing his arms. He winced however at the action and let his arms fall to his sides.

"You alright?" Benno asked, walking over to the tracker. He ignored Gerald's glare and shifted aside his jacket to see a bite on his shoulder. "You've been walkin' around with that this whole time? It'll get infected too! Why didn't you say somethin'?"

"I think the queen's a little more important than a woodsman Benno," Gerald huffed. "It's not even that bad..." The giant wouldn't hear it though. He took him by his other shoulder and led him into the room to be treated as well. Just as he was walking back out, a doctor ran around the corner and into the room with little acknowledgement, jumping straight it.

"See, the doctor's here now," Anna told her daughter who had stopped crying but still looked scared. "She'll be fine." Her voice lacked the conviction to be truly convincing but it was good enough for her daughter. She let her back down and Synnöve immediately laced fingers with her cousin, rubbing her eyes with her sleeve.

"I hope so..." She replied.

* * *

Only an hour had passed when Gerald stepped out of the sick wing and met the others in the drawing room down the hall. They all looked like they'd been having a deep discussion, probably recounting what happened out in the forest. Anna looked up at him expectantly as did the others and he looked mildly uncomfortable being in the spotlight. "How is she?" Anna asked.

"She's asleep. The doctor gave her some medicine then something for the pain and it knocked her right out," Gerald replied, sitting down with a small wince. "I didn't see much, what with the girls and the doctor blocking my view but he patched her arm up. Like I said-" He turned and looked at Filibert. "-She's queen. She'll live."

"What about you? How's yer shoulder?" Benno asked, looking positively out of place sitting on a small, florally decorated settee.

"Fine. Just some stitches. The girls handled that," Gerald replied dismissively, wanting to shift the focus off of himself. "Anyway, as big a failure as that was, we still got what we needed. She'll have her traps and I've marked down safe routes for the men to patrol."

"We'll have to return at a later date," Filibert said, uncrossing his legs. "We'll coordinate with the Captain another time. Let's allow the queen to rest before we upset her with more wolf talk." He stood and the other two followed suit, Benno offering Gerald a hand up. The three of them said their farewells and Kai, who'd been waiting with them, led them out.

"What the hell was she thinking going out there with them?" Rapunzel asked no one in particular, face in her hands.

"Elsa is a tenacious sort. You know that. That's where you two are alike," Eugene replied, rubbing her shoulder. "Must run in the family," he added in jest.

"It's all my fault," Kristoff stated, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was the one who brought it up when I went to see her."

"It would have reached her eventually Kris. It's not your fault. Besides, you didn't make her go out there herself," Anna replied. "I just wish she'd have said something so I could have stopped her..."

Robin who was cuddled into Synnöve's side, turned over slightly, gaining their attention. The two had dropped to sleep while the adults spoke and Anna figured she should get her daughter to bed. Eugene stood and plucked his son up in his arms and Kristoff went for Synnöve, lifting her up against his chest.

While they exited the drawing room, heading for their rooms, Anna doubled back to the sick wing. The door was ajar as one of the maids was still inside and the doctor was gone. She stepped inside and looked over at Elsa, glad that she'd been changed out of her bloody clothes and into a nightgown and all the blood had been washed away from her face. The maid was tucking Elsa into the bed, careful not to disturb her wrapped up forearm which lay on her midsection. She glanced up at Anna when she heard her footsteps but didn't object to her being there, to which Anna was immensely grateful.

Stepping over to her bedside, Anna resisted the urge to tuck a few loose strands of Elsa's hair back. Seeing her that way made her feel so fussy, the same way she got whenever Synnöve got sick. She wondered briefly if that was how Elsa felt when she was laying in that very same bed just a few days ago. The maid left the room and Anna sighed, eyeing Elsa's left hand noticing that her glove had been removed. After much hesitation, she leaned over and took her hand in her own, gently stroking her soft palm. A result of being nobility and constantly wearing silk gloves, Elsa's hands were impeccably fair and soft. Anna longed for the days when Elsa would place her hands on her cheeks or use a finger to lift away a tear or place her hands on brea-

"My God..." Anna felt her cheeks color and her brow furrowed in frustration. Here the queen was recovering from an attack, practically defenseless and she was having shameless thoughts about her. She knew she needed to distance herself from Elsa but it pained her to see the queen that way. She did truly still love her and looking upon her pale, sleeping face, Anna couldn't muster up any of the anger she'd been holding onto. It truly was exhausting to actively hold a grudge.

Leaning down, Anna kissed Elsa's forehead chastely, letting go of her hand. "Just..get better soon okay? It's going to be hard to terrorize you if you're laid up in bed," she whispered, just a hair's breath from her face. Quickly swallowing the urge to kiss her slightly parted lips, Anna straightened up and left the room, retreating down the hall to her own. Once the door to her room was shut, she leaned back against it and sighed heavily, rubbing her forehead.

"What the hell are you doing Anna…?"

* * *

 **AN:** Alright, next chapter is some well-deserved fluff. Elsa's got time now to work on fixing things with Anna

Also, this isn't the last you've seen on Benno, Filibert, and Gerald! They'll be back!


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** Okay so first of all, I am _sooooo_ sorry for how long it took me to post a new chapter.

I rewrote this chapter so many times that I eventually gave up and took a step back.

I promised fluff and that...just did not happen. Instead, I wrote this XD

* * *

" _You kept it," Anna said, gaining the queen's attention. Elsa turned her head on her pillow to see her lover sitting on the edge of the bed looking towards the window._

" _Excuse me?" Elsa inquired, admiring the little freckles on Anna back._

" _The orchid. You know, the first flower you bought from me?" Anna replied, looking over her shoulder at her. Elsa dragged herself upright like a lazy cat and settled with her back to the headboard, running her fingers through her loose hair, uncaring of her nakedness._

" _Of course I kept it," she simply replied, giving a soft smile._

" _That was a while ago and Arendelle isn't exactly the right temperature to raise one successfully. I was surprised you bought it to be honest. How'd you manage to keep it alive?" Elsa wiggled her fingers and a bit of magic wisped across the room to the orchid. A small clump of ice fell into the orchid's little pot._

" _My mother had a green thumb but she had this orchid that she couldn't for the life of her keep alive. It would wither away slowly no matter what she did. She said it needed to be watered at very specific times and done so evenly. I didn't understand then but after she died, the orchid remained. I destroyed the plant as though it had caused the storm that took their ship..." Elsa recounted, gazing at the orchid on the sill. "I didn't realize until after I came back down from the North Mountain that ice could do exactly what my mother had been trying to do. It melts evenly and the plant gets plenty of sunlight."_

" _You're amazing, you know?"_

" _For raising a flower? Hardly. You do it much better," Elsa replied, shutting her eyes and leaning her head back. She felt the bed dip slightly and heard the rustle of fabric as Anna crossed the bed to her. Anna straddled the queen's hips and took her hands, effectively regaining her attention._

" _You're amazing," Anna said again before bringing her hands up to kiss both. "You're magic is so amazing that it can save flowers Elsa!" A laugh bubbled up from the queen's throat at that. "These hands can do so many wonderful things..." Elsa felt herself smirk._

" _Let me show you just how talented my hands are," she said before flipping their positions, laying Anna down flat in a matter of seconds. Anna shrieked and flushed a little and opened her mouth to protest half-heartedly but it died on her lips when Elsa's touched hers. Anna immediately wrapped her arms around Elsa's neck and pulled her in further as they lost themselves. When it became apparent that they both needed to breathe however, Elsa pulled back slightly, gazing into Anna's wide eyes._

" _I love you," Anna whispered as she panted beneath her lover._

" _I love you too. Always."_

* * *

Elsa's eyes shot open and she sat straight up, a few strands of hair falling into her face. She lifted her arm to push it back but winced at the movement. Gripping her shoulder with her left hand, she hissed and looked down at her right arm, dressed and constricted with a sling. She glared at the bandages as if her eyes could scare them off, the memories of the attack filtering back into her mind. "Do you remember what happened?" Anna sounded from her bedside. Elsa's head snapped to her left and the woman of her affection stood there, hands forward as though she were going to touch her but hesitated.

"Yes," Elsa replied breathlessly, her cheeks growing red.

"Your face! Do you have a fever?" Anna asked. Before Elsa could lean away, Anna took her by her chin and gently pulled her face towards her own. Elsa's eyes went wide as Anna's shut and she was just about to yell her protest when Anna pressed her forehead against hers. "Hmm, well you don't have a fever. You're a bit warm but it may just be the blankets..." Anna stated as she pulled back. Elsa looked like a deer in headlights, staring at Anna owlishly, red-faced and disgruntled. Clearly Anna had no idea what kinds of dreams she'd been having about her. Elsa cleared her throat a little and straightened her back, trying to compose herself a little.

"Could you possibly retrieve Gerda?" Elsa asked, avoiding her eyes as she tossed the blankets off and swung her legs over the side of the cot. "I need a bath..."

"You most certainly do not! Get back in bed this instance!" Anna protested.

"Anna, I'm not an invalid. I'm a queen with a kingdom to serve," Elsa replied, slightly exasperated.

"No, you're a patient with a nasty bite on your arm! Settle back down and I'll get you something to eat. I'll fetch your doctor too; you must be in pain," Anna replied with a tone of finality. Elsa's jaw dropped as she realized that she'd just been reprimanded as if she were a mere child. Surprisingly enough to herself, she snapped her mouth shut and obeyed. Anna dashed from the room and the queen dropped her head unceremoniously back onto her pillow. She reached up with her left hand and wiped her face, letting out a long sigh.

"Every time I try to get over you, you manage to worm yourself back into my heart..."she muttered.

"Well that's hardly a flattering thing to say Elsa," Rapunzel said from the door. Elsa glanced up to spot her cousin sauntering over to take a seat on her bedside.

"I'm losing my mind Rapunzel," Elsa replied.

"Loving someone hardly feels like losing your mind. Though I do suppose being away from them for long would drive anyone mad..." Rapunzel paused and took Elsa's left hand in her own. "She still loves you too, you know. I don't think she should be the one to say it first though," she added, with a look. Elsa felt herself blush as her jaw set tightly. "But she does still love you."

"I can't do it. Just because I can do something doesn't mean I should. She won't leap if I don't leap first but I just...Besides she likes someone else, I'm sure," Elsa said, averting her eyes in shame. "Can we maybe...can we not talk about this anymore? I think I've made up my mind about it already..." She sighed. Rapunzel was utterly dumbfounded. Her cousin was well known for being unshakably confident and sure even if inside she was a raw bundle of nerves. To see her look so defeated and torn was jarring.

"Fine. I won't bring it up again," Rapunzel replied softly, lifting her cousin's hand and kissing her middle knuckle. "But I will warn you," she said, looking her in the eye. "Your daughter was camped outside the door all night. I'm sure she really wants to see you."

"What?" Elsa asked incredulously. "She sleeps with Anna. Impossible."

"Ha, I thought the same thing. Apparently she snuck out of bed last night because Gerda found her curled up outside the door this morning. She's been tucked back in but as soon as she wakes up, you're in for it," Rapunzel explained with a giggle. A small smile tugged at Elsa's lips at the thought of Synnöve. "Ahhhh! There it is!" Rapunzel exclaimed, digging her fingers into her cousin's sides. Shrill laughter filled the room as the queen wiggled in an attempt to get away, kicking her sheets in an effort to keep her cousin's hands away.

"Oh my god Rapunzel! This is treason! Treason against the queen!" Elsa said, out of breath.

"Is it? I'm not Arendellian," Rapunzel replied, giggling behind her hands. Elsa blew a raspberry at her, which her cousin returned accompanied by a grin.

"Ah, I see you're in high spirits!" Gerda said as she walked through the door, carrying a silver platter with what Elsa assumed was soup. Rapunzel sat down on the edge of the cot while Elsa straightened up, resting her back against the headboard. "Not too weak to eat then."

"Of course not. Honestly, this isn't as horrible as I'd imagined. Of course it pains greatly but I'll certainly live," Elsa replied as Gerda set the bowl down on the side table.

"Well eat up then and recover. Your people saw the commotion and word has already spread of your injury. It's only been half a day and already whispers have made it back to the castle," Rapunzel informed her. "Your maids are all in a tizzy!"

"I shall then. They needn't worry. It will take far more than this to keep me from ruling properly."

* * *

By noon, Elsa had been seen by her doctor, she'd been washed and she was attempting to move about whilst batting off her family and servants alike. The hovering was stifling and frankly she'd had enough of it. She just wanted to go to her study and get some work done but it seems that someone always insisted on being with her at all times. Finally Elsa dropped down on a settee in the drawing room to pout, knowing she wouldn't be getting anything productive done.

"Honestly Elsa, you should rest some more," Anna tried, sitting across from her.

"Why? The beast didn't attack my legs Anna. I'm sure it's not a big deal if I move about!" Elsa practically whined. "It wasn't even my dominant hand..."

"That isn't the point. You never take any time to rest. You've slipped back into old habits ever since you...you, uhmm..."

"I get it Anna. You don't need to say it," Elsa sighed, putting her face in her left hand. She sighed then wiped her face and looked at the ground. "Why must we always return to this?" she muttered. How could she move on from her conflicting feelings if every single day, somehow her past relationship with Anna was dredged up. "This is why we can not be friends..."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"No. You know what? It's fine," Elsa stated. "Trying to ignore it doesn't work no matter how hard I try and we can't continue to dance around one another as though it didn't happen. We just need to accept it and...and move on or it will continue to fester."

"And how do you expect us to do that? Everything is happening so fast that I can barely catch my breath! Everything that happens just seems to add to the reasons why we need to stick together. Working through this requires us to actually _talk_ about it. God, and then on top of that you go out and do something stupid like track wolves and get bitten! Do you have an idea how it felt for us in that hall outside the door?" Anna huffed, crossing her arms.

"It was my duty to assess the situation Anna!" Elsa shot back.

"Yes but you didn't have to go yourself! The Captain's reports would have been enough! You didn't need to go trekking into the woods like a crazy person! You're the queen! You have responsibilities and-and you have a family!"

"It was just a bite!"

"It could have been worse!"

"But it was not!"

"That's not the point!"

"Anna, you have no idea what you're talking about."

"I ho ho, I don't? So this wasn't the result of you running away? Don't think I can't read the situation!" Anna said, glaring across at the queen. Elsa at least had the decency to look a little ashamed.

"Stop right there Anna. Say no more," Elsa ground out, standing from her seat, intent on making a beeline to her study. She'd hit a little too close to home for comfort. Anna jumped to her feet as well however, stopping her in her tracks.

"No _you_ stop it! I don't want to fight anymore! Elsa, I'm sick of it! Just for once, tell me the damn truth!" Anna yelled, shoving Elsa's shoulder. The queen steeled herself, snapping her burning gaze to Anna's wide eyes. The queen had never looked so furious and feral and _scared_. Anna gasped and took a slight step back and Elsa's eyes narrowed, the temperature dropped to freezing in a matter of seconds.

"The truth?" Elsa asked almost mockingly, straightening up to full height. "You want the truth from me?" she added, as she slowly advanced on Anna.

"E-Elsa-"

"The _truth_ is that I was perfectly fine wallowing in my sadness and hating you for the rest of my miserable life! Then we're drawn back together and everything I held onto for six years was turned on its head! But it doesn't stop there! No, it continues to grow and get worse! I was wrong! My anger wasn't justified! I have a daughter! She has my powers! They all sleep right down the goddamn hall and then to top it off, I realize that I'm still as in love with you as I was when I first met you!"

Elsa paused to chuckle bitterly, raking her hand through her hair. "I just needed to get away. It was all too much. I felt like I was choking...It's too sudden. There was no time to figure this all out." It reminded her of how blindsided she felt when her parents perished at sea. It was too quick. All at once, the princess was orphaned and expected to be queen without the steady hand of her father to guide her.

"We can still work together to figure this all out Elsa. You don't have to go at this alone. Just talk to me," Anna said, taking control of the fear that gripped her. Elsa however screwed her face and scoffed in true royal fashion, turning away to stride towards the doors.

"Talk? You still fear me. We'll never be able to work this out," Elsa replied dismissively. Anna however was having none of it. She gritted her teeth and surged forward, sure that she was making a huge mistake.

"Stop telling me how I feel!" Anna yelled, grabbing the queen's hand and tugging her back. Elsa nearly lost her balance as Anna whirled her around and was shocked to meet a red-faced Anna and a finger in her face. "God, you're such a _royal_! You don't get to tell me how I feel when you just run away all the time! Even now! You just blurt that all out then you try to tuck tail again! It's all bravado! It's all-It's bullshit! What kind of queen are you?! What kind of _woman_ are you?!"

Suddenly Anna was against the wall and her tongue was being sucked out of her mouth. Elsa's perfect bun fell out into a tail when Anna's fingers gripped the back of her head. Her eyes fell shut as the vice grip Elsa had on her waist tightened. The queen was absolutely relentless; whenever they'd part for air, Anna could only take one breath before Elsa's lips returned. Elsa was leaning her entire body into her, allowing no space between them. She couldn't even think about what she was doing or whether or not she should be doing it but clearly she craved Elsa's affection if how her body was reacting to her ministrations was anything to go by. Elsa was obviously through with pretending.

Then just when Anna thought Elsa would ease up on her assault, one of the queen's slender thighs slid between her own dragging a gasp out of her. "E-Elsa!" she managed, gripping her shoulders tightly.

Elsa moved from her mouth to her neck and whispered in between the butterfly kisses she dropped there. "You wanted to know." Kiss. "You said you wanted me to tell you." Kiss. "This is what I am." Kiss. Kiss. "I am just..." Kiss. "...a woman in love." Anna could hardly stand it anymore. She pressed Elsa away by the chest, holding her at bay while she desperately tried to catch her breath and calm her racing heart. Still Elsa persisted.

"I am apparently not very good at speaking my feelings but I am adept at showing them..." she whispered, sending a wanton shiver down Anna's back.

"Stop Elsa. Stop. Please? I-I can't think clearly right now," Anna panted, trying to look anywhere but the woman in front of her. Elsa's expression was raw and she knew that looking into her eyes would only crumble what was left of her resolve. They were doing this all wrong but God, did she want her.

"I've longed to do that..."

"Stop it Elsa."

"Allow me to do it again..."

"Elsa please?"

"Why fight me? You already told me the truth..." Elsa said, shifting Anna's hands away from her collarbones. Anna squeezed her eyes shut as the queen gently hooked her chin with a finger. The kiss was softer, nothing like the assault just moments before. It was as though she were trying to apologize for the former ferocity with its tenderness. When she drew back, Anna felt like her legs would give out at any moment.

"I don't understand this all yet but I won't run anymore. I promise you that," Elsa said right into her ear. She no longer cared for the consequences or the possible heartache. She'd lied before; she hadn't been content to hate her and she never would be. Deserving or not, she craved Anna and if she wanted Elsa to fight for her then with all the power at her disposal, she would. Game on.

Stepping back, Elsa ran a practiced hand through her disheveled hair and left Anna alone in the room. Anna was utterly speechless, tears springing to her eyes. She had no idea what for but they helped. Her legs did give out.

* * *

Elsa did as she pleased afterwards, heading straight for her study to get some work done. Inside, her stomach was a mess of knots and her hand was shaking but she just couldn't wipe the shit-eating grin off her face. A few housemaids even double-took when she passed by them. That was happiest she'd looked in years and they didn't dare follow or disturb her. Pressing open her study door, Elsa made her way inside and leaned back against it. She licked her lips then shook out her left hand, clearly wound up. "I need...to..."

Elsa strode over to the window beside her desk and unlatched it, pushing it open. Looking down below she could see the courtyard was clear and the farrier most likely had the horses inside for feeding. Double checking to make sure no one was down there, she extended her hand and froze the entire space over with a brilliant display of power. It winded her and the expulsion calmed her nerves; strong feelings made the magic within her tremble and expelling it always made her feel a little less wound up. Once the courtyard looked akin to a frozen wonderland, she closed up the window and found her place at her desk, allowing the sun to take care of the ice. Jan the farrier would surely have something to say about that. Grasping a quill, Elsa got straight to work, pressing what had just transpired with Anna to the back of her mind as though it'd been an average morning.

She actually managed quite a bit of work but ever the perfectionist, not as much as she'd have liked. Just a few hours later, a light knock sounded at the door. Synnöve, she was sure and true enough, the child entered after Elsa had given her affirmative. "What is it Sweetheart?" Elsa asked, setting her quill aside. Synnöve approached her behind her desk but hesitated to touch her. "It's alright. I'm fine. This is nothing I can't recover from," Elsa told her, placing her hand gently on top of Synnöve's head.

"Are you sure? Robin and I were scared that..." The words died on her lips and Elsa furrowed her brow in worry. When Anna expressed it, she'd blown it off because she was angry but with her mind clear, she could see the effect her injury had on them. It didn't seem that big of a deal to her but to her family, the brand new one that she _needed to remember that she now had_ , it was huge and she felt like an ass. Momentarily reminding herself to apologize to Anna properly the next time she saw her, Elsa leaned down and encircled Synnöve with her left arm, tucking her into the crook of her shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone. It wasn't safe and it wasn't smart," she said to the girl, gently rubbing circles in her back. "Queens should be more pragmatic; I won't do something like that again."

"Do you promise?" Synnöve asked sheepishly to which Elsa answered with a kiss on her temple.

"I do," she replied, letting her go. "...What is it?" Elsa then asked, noticing the way Synnöve opened and closed her mouth.

"Well...Uhm, did something happen between you and Momma? She's been acting weird since I woke up. She won't stop staring out the window and talking to herself," the girl asked.

"Oh? Did you ask?" Elsa inquired.

"I tried but she turned red and told me not to mind it," Synnöve replied. "Did you two fight again?" Elsa felt her mouth open but she snapped it shut, knowing she needed to carefully word her next few statements.

"No, we did not fight again. Not really. In fact, I think we may have reached an understanding. Your mother asked me an important question but I think she may need time to process my answer, is all," Elsa told her, leaning back in her chair. "It's nothing to worry about."

"Okay," Synnöve replied, rubbing her arm. "So...does this mean I have to wait longer to learn how to use my magic?" she suddenly asked.

"I-No. You don't have to wait," Elsa replied. "Actually, why don't we have a little lesson right now?" Synnöve beamed and nodded as Elsa stood from her seat and rounded the desk. "Come. Let's go outside," she said, offering her daughter her hand.

As soon as they got outside, Synnöve gasped at the snow that was still thawing in the courtyard. Glancing up at Elsa, the queen simply shrugged. "Sometimes I just have an itch to use my powers," she said vaguely. Synnöve reached down and picked up a lump of snow, cradling it in her hands.

"It's cold but it's...not..." she mumbled, packing it into a ball.

"It is the magic. We do not get cold as quickly as others. We are protected. Ice can still be dangerous to us however so you must be careful when you're using your powers," Elsa explained. She glanced down at the snowball Synnöve had rolled and figured that that was as good as place to start as any. Outstretching her palm, Elsa conjured a ball of snow in her hand. "We don't need to do anything fancy yet. Why don't you try making a snowball like the one you have in your hand?"

Synnöve shifted the ball to her right hand and stared daggers into her left palm. Her face made an array of expressions which brought an amused smile to Elsa's face. "Sweetheart, you're thinking about it too hard," she said, leaning down. "It's like-" A memory of Anna kissing her cheek flooded her thoughts and snow began to fall around the courtyard. "-exhaling a breath." Synnöve made a show of exhaling a large breath which only made the queen chuckle. "No, no. Think about something that makes you happy. Magic is unpredictable because it is tied to your feelings. The more sure of how you feel, the more control you will have. Pick your happiest memory and let it flow through you. The magic will follow."

Synnöve nodded and shut her eyes, thinking of a happy moment. Her cheeks colored as she concentrated and she balled her hands into tight fists. Elsa was about to put her hand on her shoulder and tell her to relax when a wet, oblong shaped snowball dropped out of the sky. Synnöve opened her eyes just in time to see it and she quickly extended her hands forward to catch it. It hit her palms in a splat sending slush everywhere and the girl looked up at Elsa sadly.

"Don't worry Sweetheart! For your first try, that wasn't bad at all!" she told the girl, lowering herself to the girl's eye level. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I wasn't so great at magic when I first started using my powers either." Synnöve's eyes widened comically.

"Really?"

"Really. I was quite clumsy at it actually. You won't get it the first time but we aren't quitters, are we?" Elsa asked. Synnöve shook her head and set her face with a serious expression. "Then try again." The girl turned around and did just as she was told. Elsa leaned back up, straightening herself back to her full height and watched her daughter attempt it again. She'd lied to her however. Elsa's magic came as naturally to her as her breath. From the time she was four, she could make snowballs to pelt at unsuspecting guards and by eight, she could think just about anything she wanted into existence. But Synnöve was Anna's daughter and sure enough, just like her. A little positive reinforcement was all it took to get them back on their feet.

The two of them were out there for hours. Synnöve tried over and over to conjure a perfect snowball and just as the sun was beginning to descend, she finally managed to do it. The girl jumped around excitedly holding the prized snowball above her head. "I did it! I did it!" Excited, the girl flung herself into Elsa's midsection, vibrating with joy. "Look! See?" she said, holding it up to her. Elsa smiled and took the well rounded snowball from her, actually quite impressed with its flawless shape. "Did I do good?"

"You did splendidly," Elsa replied. Unbeknownst to them though, Anna was watching from a window. She spied Elsa leaning down to kiss Synnöve's forehead then said something whilst gesturing to the sky, most likely letting her know that it was time to go inside. She watched as the queen waved away the ice in the courtyard then took the girl's hand in her own, the two of them chatting as they reentered the castle. Anna felt a small smile tug at her lips as she watched them. Synnöve was so much like her other mother without having even known her so the two of them together just looked so natural. It was honestly a miracle that no one had seen the resemblance in her daughter to the queen, at least to her knowledge.

She briefly wondered if this is how it would have been had she and Elsa stayed together. Synnöve would have her schooling, privately she presumed then play with Anna, maybe go for a ride on horseback or take a stroll together through town. Then she'd return when Elsa was finished with her duties and practice her magic, they'd sit down to dinner and then perhaps spend the evening together in the courtyard before bed. They'd put Synnöve to bed together and read her a story and then they'd retire to their own quarters and-

Anna's cheeks colored suddenly as her thoughts took a sudden turn south. Clapping her hands to her cheeks, she willed her lewd thoughts of the queen away. There was a knock at the bedroom door just then however which startled her. "Miss Anna?" one of the maids addressed her as she poked her head in the door. "It's nearing time for supper. Would you like to join the others in the dining hall?" she asked. Anna swallowed thickly and nodded, not quite trusting her voice. The maid took her leave but Anna lingered. She wanted to scream and cry and hit Elsa square in the mouth and jump into her arms and kiss her lips and it was infuriating! Anna had all the power before and was in control but Elsa turned the tables and left her breathless. She honestly didn't feel like eating with the others, content to be alone in her room but she knew Synnöve or worse, Elsa would come looking for her and frankly, she was frightened of what she'd do to the queen if they were all alone.

Drawing in a long breathe, Anna resolved to acting as though nothing had happened. She could tell Synnöve was a little suspicious but the girl would soon forget if she acted as she always had. The others didn't need to know yet what had happened though; especially Kristoff. Schooling her expression, she left the room and made her way down to the dining hall where everyone had already gathered. Synnöve immediately ran over to her and led her back to her seat all whilst telling her about her first magic lesson. Robin listened in as well, a look of wonder on his small face. Turning to his father, the little prince pouted. "Papa! I wish I had magic powers too!" he whined, inciting chuckles from the adults around him.

Anna's ears perked at the sound of Elsa's soft laugh. She chanced a glance over at the queen at the head of the table and nearly gasped at the blue eyes staring straight back at her. Elsa's head rested casually on her left hand having already eaten her fill and she gazed at Anna unabashed, desire swirling in her eyes. Anna's cheeks colored once again and she quickly looked back to her plate, suddenly taking an interest in her forgotten vegetables. Elsa clearly was in no mood for pretense. This was going to be a lot harder than she originally anticipated...


	9. Chapter 9

Elsa steered clear of Anna the rest of the night, leaving her to sort through her feelings. She'd watched Anna from the head of the table all through dinner, not faltering even when Anna caught her. It was if she were trying to catch up on the six years she missed looking upon her. She could tell Anna still needed time to catch her breath though and she'd allow her that. Rapunzel, whom Elsa hadn't seen in two years was visiting and they were long overdue for some bonding time.

In the morning, Elsa swept out of bed with the rise of the morning sun and went to wash. She instructed her maids to forgo laying out her clothing and instead chose to fashion herself an ice dress. She and Rapunzel were heading out into the town so she wanted to be comfortable at least. Magic danced at her fingertips as ice swirled around her, taking the form of a more conservative blue dress. Ever since she'd embraced her powers and come to love them as a part of her, she'd started wearing dresses with low necklines and beautiful trains around the castle but she wouldn't dare do so while out in the town. She was still a monarch and was expected to dress as such.

Rapunzel however was thoroughly enjoying her time away from Corona. Not that she didn't love her people or the kingdom but she was a free spirit and needed to run free every now and then. She did well enough under the crown and sceptre but she truly shined when interacting with her people. She'd play with the children and draw on the walkways with chalk with them, she'd personally visit people who were sick or go and sing for the elderly. Rapunzel was an excellent queen, truly loved by her people. She dressed herself in a simple green dress and flat shoes and was bouncing as she waited for her cousin in the foyer. "Good morning sweetie!" the brunette greeted, taking Elsa's good arm and kissing her cheek.

"Good morning Punzie," Elsa replied with a chuckle. "Are you ready to go?" she asked, guiding them towards the doors. She patted the side of her dress, double checking to make sure she had her coin purse. Before joining her cousin, Elsa went to say goodbye to Synnöve who sure enough, was bright eyed and bushy tailed. Lucky for the queen, Anna was taking her bath so they avoided an awkward conversation there. Synnöve said it was fine that she go so long as she brought the girl back a present for waiting so long. Elsa was sure she was kidding but she resolved to fill the request anyhow.

"Yes, of course! Do you think we could walk there?" Rapunzel asked, her big eyes filled with hope. Elsa feigned apprehension but ultimately she nodded her affirmative. The guards who were tasked with escorting them seemed a bit off put that the two ladies were going on foot but Captain Gamal put his foot down when it was suggested that they could simply go by themselves.

"I can't allow the two of you to go alone without anyone to watch over you," the captain spoke up. Elsa tilted her chin slightly and he straightened up a little, hands crossing behind his back. "Your majesty," he added quickly.

"Two then, on foot," Elsa replied.

"Four?" the Captain tried but no avail.

" _Two_ and you'll keep your distance," Elsa countered in a tone of finality. The captain huffed but he nonetheless bowed and gestured for the women to take the lead. Rapunzel giggled behind her hand as Elsa gave a satisfied smile and they took their leave, the grumpy captain and one of his subordinates following behind.

"Soooooooo..." Rapunzel started, chancing a glance back to see that their escort was out of quiet hearing range. "Anna's been a little...off since yesterday. A certain cousin of mine wouldn't have anything to do with that, would she?" she asked, leaning into Elsa's side, intertwining their fingers. Elsa looked at the brunette and sighed. As airheaded as she appeared to be, Rapunzel was alarmingly astute.

"I may have-" Elsa found herself blushing, only now realizing how scandalous her actions may have been. "-pressed her against a wall and stolen a kiss...or five." Rapunzel bit her lip to keep her scream of joy within and grinned wide. "You seem more excited about it than she did..." Elsa added, taking in the way Rapunzel practically vibrated.

"Els, I've been waiting _years_ for you to marry Anna!" Rapunzel exclaimed. Quickly reeling it in however, she dropped her voice. "You are going to marry her, aren't you?" she asked seriously, quirking a brow. Elsa grew quiet at the question, just as they stepped off the bridge leading into the town.

"I...honestly don't know Punzie. I don't even know if she wants to be with me again. I didn't exactly give her a chance to tell me how she felt about it," she explained quietly. "I've decided to give her some space and a little time to think it over but I'm going to give chase." Rapunzel perked up at that. "I'm not going to let her go this time; not unless she tells me outright that she doesn't want to be with me."

"You sound like a little school boy in love Els," Rapunzel said with a giggle.

"Well I'm not getting any younger. I suppose I could be a little less direct and intense if I were still twenty one like when we first met but I'm to turn thirty in two months! No time for waiting around. If I'm going to do this, then I can't afford to hold back and ask myself the what-ifs if things don't work out."

"Just yesterday morning, you said you weren't going to do it and you sounded serious. I'm glad you changed your mind but what brought about this sudden change of heart?"

"Anna, she...challenged me and asked me who I am. She basically cornered a confession out of me so I cornered her in return," Elsa replied, thinking hard about what she wanted to say. Rapunzel tugged her to stop and they stood quietly waiting for her to find her words. "I run away from too many things."

"How can you say that? You're an excellent queen Els."

"Be that as it may, I'm still cowardly. I can take my time with a quill and paper and express anything carefully in the confines of my own study but face to face I just deflect. She told me that she wasn't going to let me bully her into letting me get close to Synnöve and I was offended at the time that she said that but I thought about it and she was ultimately right. I get defensive and I dismiss the people who upset me because I can; because I'm queen and I can turn my back on anyone without fear. But Anna isn't some Lord trying to force my hand in business. She's the woman I see when I close my eyes at night. She's the one who got me to feel like a person again after my coronation. She even managed to get me to trust myself with my magic. God, she's the mother of my child! I can't treat her the way I treat everyone else. I-"

Rapunzel wrapped her cousin up in a tight hug and only when she'd stopped talking did Elsa notice her own tears. Shutting her eyes, she buried her face into Rapunzel's neck and let out a shaky breath, trying to get herself under control. The last thing she wanted was an incident with her magic, especially outside of the castle. The brunette held onto Elsa until she felt her heart rate return to a normal pace and when she finally pulled back, she lifted her hands to her face to wipe away her stray tears. "Marry her Els. You'll never find another love like Anna," Rapunzel told her with a smile. Elsa gave a half chuckle and found herself smiling as well.

"Well I certainly hope you'll be my matron of honor if the time comes," Elsa shot back. She was unsure whether or not she should have been delighted or frightened by the excitement that shone in Rapunzel's eyes when she said that though.

* * *

Tears cleared away and forgotten, the two women strolled into the already busy town square. Some of the townspeople stopped their shopping and their gossiping to stare at the two monarchs though some didn't even seem to take notice of them. Reactions were mixed; most smiled or waved to which they received one in return but some simply stood back and watched them go by. Elsa had shown that Synnöve's ice was different from her own but without a feasible explanation, some of the people were wary of her. If Elsa was bothered though, she didn't show it and Rapunzel's cheery attitude distracted her anyway.

"Oh, Elsa! Look, it's so adorable!" Rapunzel gushed at the sight of a stall with a set of hand sewn teddy bears. They were each adorned in different colors with different colored fur or buttons but a few were made identical; white teddy bears with bows and buttons to match Arendelle's colors. "Robin would love one of these," Rapunzel added, picking one up. Elsa briefly wondered if Synnöve would appreciate one as well but before she could decide, Rapunzel voiced it first. "Do you think Synn would like one too? She and Robin are awfully close already. It'd just be one more thing for the two of them to be excited about."

"I'm inclined to agree," Elsa replied before turning to the stunned stall-keeper. His wide eyes passed between the two of them, clearly recognizing his queen and her royal cousin. She didn't get to visit often but Rapunzel wasn't someone who was easy to forget. Swallowing, he quickly snapped out of his stupor and managed to speak to them.

"Please, take them as a gift, your majesties. A very small token of gratitude for all you do for your people," he said, gesturing to the bears. Rapunzel saw a shift in Elsa as the blonde queen gave a warm smile.

"That's very kind of you. Truly but I must insist that I purchase them. Please take these silver and do your queen a favor?" she asked, cocking her head to the side slightly. The stall-keeper nodded, listening in. "Please continue to be wonderful," she said as she placed the coins into his hand. The man blushed and bowed low at the waist before them.

"You are much too kind."

And like that, so was most of their morning in the town. Rapunzel would express interest in absolutely anything to Elsa's amusement and the majority of shop and stall-keepers would be quick to offer whatever they'd like free of charge. Some two hours later, the brunette was sharing a candied apple with her cousin toting the stuffed bear, other trinkets and little gifts and had a flower crown resting atop her head. Elsa smiled behind her bite of the apple, watching her cousin interact with the people; totally in her element. Whereas Elsa could astound them and leave them awestruck with her power and beauty, Rapunzel was once a commoner herself. Her kindness shone through like a beacon. In that respect, she reminded Elsa greatly of Anna. When they'd go for their walks years ago, the children would swarm Anna just the same as they did with Rapunzel and she could speak freely just the same. It was inspiring to watch.

"Oh! Isn't that Anna's friend there? Vivienne?" Elsa heard her cousin ask, drawing her out of her thoughts. She glanced to the side and low and behold, the physician's daughter was inspecting peppers, no doubt on an errand run. Elsa felt herself pout, not exactly wanting to speak with her but knowing Rapunzel, she would certainly initiate a conversation. "Vivienne, how are you?" the brunette asked, strolling right up to the woman. Vivienne turned and looked alarmed momentarily, still not used to meeting royalty so often and so freely. Rapunzel took her hands just as she had when they first met and she kissed Vivienne's cheek.

"I'm fine your majesty. How are you?" she returned, stunned at Rapunzel's ease. The brunette wasn't having that though. She placed her hand up to stop her and shook her head.

"Please, you may call me Rapunzel. No objections! I'm not in Corona anymore. The only people here who are allowed to call me _Your Majesty_ are the members of Elsa's court and people I haven't formally met yet," she said with a smile. "I mean it," she added in a serious tone for good measure. Vivienne nodded at her then took notice of Elsa who came up to Rapunzel's side.

"Doing some shopping?" she asked, looking between the two of them.

"Yes. Rapunzel and I wanted to spend a little time together before the duke arrives," Elsa replied, relaxing a bit. "It's been too long since we've last seen one another." Rapunzel leaned over and kissed her cousin's cheek in that moment and the three of them giggled.

"Are you out shopping yourself?" Rapunzel asked Vivienne, gesturing to the produce.

"Oh! Yes. My father has taken ill actually so I wanted to pick up a few ingredients for his favorite soup," the woman explained. To her surprise, Elsa's face went white hearing that Emeric was sick. Jealous of Vivienne's relationship with Anna or not, she'd taken a liking to the physician and they'd spoken often to great lengths when he came to check on Anna.

"Ill?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

"It's nothing too serious!" Vivienne added quickly. "Honestly. He's just caught a bit of a cold and I baby him so I made him stay in bed. He'll be up and roaring again before you know it."

"Thank the heavens..." Elsa muttered, the color returning to her face at her assurance.

"If you don't mind me asking, how is Anna faring?" Vivienne asked as she resumed picking through the peppers before her. "I miss seeing them every day," she added offhandedly. Elsa narrowed her eyes but it was a simple enough question; nothing to get defensive about.

"They're fine," Elsa replied simply. Rapunzel glanced back at her cousin subtly then over to Vivienne in suspicion. It took her only a few moments to connect the dots and see where Elsa's head was at.

"Vivienne? How long have you known Anna and Kristoff?" Rapunzel asked suddenly, directing her gaze to the green produce in front of her.

"How long? Well I've only known Anna for seven years I suppose. It feels like ages though. Kris used to tell me about her before she...came back to live with him," Vivienne replied, careful with her choice of words.

"Oh? You knew Kristoff before?" Rapunzel asked, a smile forming on her face.

"Yes. The first time we met, he'd come in to see my father for an injury he'd sustained while out in the North Mountain. That was maybe nine or maybe even ten years ago. I was still apprentice then," Vivienne recounted fondly. "Father had just delivered a baby so he was a little preoccupied so he asked me to have a look at Kris. He didn't speak much in the beginning and he left afterwards without saying too much but he came back to us for any injuries and back then, he was still clumsy with that pickaxe of his."

Vivienne trailed off with a chuckle, looking fondly at Rapunzel. "I can't remember when he stopped coming just to get patched up. We'd often spend hours at a time sitting outside on slow days. He'd bring two apples and he'd tell me all about his latest adventures up in the North Mountain. We stopped when Anna came back but soon, I had a pair of best friends. Brother and sister. We all only grew closer when Synn was born. Father delivered her and I was her nurse. The four of us have never really been apart since," she explained, playing with her dark tresses.

"Do you miss the way it used to be? Back when you were still an apprentice?" Rapunzel inquired.

"Oh of course I do. It was a much simpler time then," Vivienne replied with a giggle. "I wouldn't trade Anna and Synn for the world though. Hard to believe it's been ten years since it all started..."

"Is that how long you've been in love with Kristoff?" Rapunzel asked innocently, a wide smile on her face. Elsa cast her a bewildered look but she zeroed in on Vivienne when the girl's eyes widened and her cheeks and ears colored. "Oh my, you really have it bad, don't you?" Rapunzel added, giggling at her reaction.

"I-well-He's not-I'm not-!" Vivienne stammered.

"Vivennnnnnne," Rapunzel teased, making the girl blush all the more.

"It doesn't matter! He isn't interested in me…He isn't interested in anyone, especially not right now." Elsa was completely dumbfounded and she had to actively clamp her jaw to make sure that it wasn't hanging open. She had completely misread Vivienne's intentions.

"How would you know that? Kristoff is very sweet. You should tell him how you feel," Rapunzel pressed, placing her hand on top of Vivienne's.

"I-I can't. Not now…" Vivienne repeated, looking down at their interlocked fingers. "He's got enough on his plate worrying about his sister and his home. I don't want to complicate anything. Anna's my best friend and I just need to be there for her right now."

"But who's there for _you_ right now?" Elsa found herself saying suddenly. "Your father is sick and your best friend is for the most part, unavailable. Anna and I have a lot to work through right now but Kristoff seems to be getting a bit of cabin fever staying in the castle all day. Perhaps you should invite him out one of these days." Seeing the near horrified look on the girl's face, Elsa sighed and stepped forward, lowering her voice. "Take it from me as someone who let the person I loved most slip away. Don't wait around for love. Chase it until your legs give out," she added with a small smile.

"I-" Vivienne started, looking down at the ground but Elsa shook her head.

"You?"

"Okay. Thank you Queen Elsa," Vivienne replied, smiling despite her still red cheeks.

"Oh darling, you are so cute when you blush!" Rapunzel interjected, cupping Vivienne's face, effectively breaking the calm aura and sending the three of them into a fit of chuckles. A few meters away stood off the Captain and his guardsmen, keeping a close eye on them.

"I swear, women spend their entire day giggling with one another..." said the guardsman, glancing over at his captain.

"Hush Anders or I'll tell your wife you said that," Gamal replied with a smile.

* * *

The three women spoke a little while longer and then parted, the queens allowing Vivienne to get back to her shopping. Arm in arm, they continued to stroll through the town passing out of the square and into the housing district. Elsa wanted to see for herself how the reconstruction of Kristoff's home was going and seeing as they were already out and about, she roped it into their route. "Synnöve...managed all of this?" Rapunzel asked as they stopped in front of the site. The house was completely leveled and the wreckage had already been cleared away. Elsa could see the start of a new foundation being put in place however.

"It's been broken down already. This looks like the beginnings of the construction," Elsa replied, gesturing to the tools the workman had left behind. "She'd torn right through most of it though. Spires right through the roof. Oh, if you'd seen it..."

"She'll be powerful then," Rapunzel surmised, glancing over at Elsa.

"Quite. A little slow to start but she's grasping the concept well enough," Elsa replied.

"Well she's got the best teacher to show her the way," Rapunzel added with a smile, interlocking their fingers. That managed to get a small smile out of the blonde.

"Yes, well...what I'm actually worried about is her schooling. Her powers will be erratic now that they've just come in. I don't want her to sneeze again and possibly freeze something while attending school. Then of course there's the risk of exposure and the possibility of threats..." Elsa sighed and ran her hand through her quiff stressfully. "Yet another thing I need to discuss with Anna."

"One thing at a time Elsa. Perhaps if you do manage to properly woo her, you won't need to ask all of these other questions," Rapunzel reassured her.

"You're right," Elsa huffed, looking up into the sky. Noticing the placement of the sun, she gestured back the way they came. "Come, let us get moving if we wish to make it back in time for lunch."

The walk back to the castle didn't take very long and once the captain and Anders realised they were headed back, they closed a bit of the distance between them. Escorting them back over the bridge and into the castle, the guards parted with them in the foyer. Elsa thanked the two of them for watching over them and then she and Rapunzel went to go find the rest of their family. Gerda met them in the hall and directed them towards the library where they found Eugene, Anna, and the children. Kristoff was apparently in the stables with Sven.

"Robin, look at what mommy has brought for you," Rapunzel said as they entered the library. Eugene was lounging on one of the chairs, his son nestled in his lap and Anna was seated on the floor, Synnöve tucked into her side as Eugene read. Glancing up, Robin smiled and jumped down from his perch. Synnöve too perked up at the sight of Elsa and the two of them ran over to them.

Rapunzel passed Robin the bear and grinned as the boy hugged the toy tight to his chest. "You weren't forgotten Synnöve," Elsa said, leaning down to hand her one as well. Synnöve ran her fingers gingerly over the buttons and fingered the bow.

"For me?" she asked, looking up at Elsa. She smiled wide at Elsa's nod and then she ran back to her other mother to show her. "Look Momma!"

"Oh it's adorable. The colors in the bow match Arendelle's flag," Anna commented before looking up at Elsa. The queen looked unsure, as if silently asking whether or not it was an appropriate gift. What she hadn't known was that Synnöve had only one stuffed bear before that she dragged everywhere when she was younger. She only stopped taking it with her when she started going to school but she'd cuddle with it every night while she slept. Unfortunately, it'd been lost in the wreckage. Anna caught Elsa eye and smiled, mouthing the words _Thank You_ before looking back to her daughter.

"I'm going to love it forever!" Synnöve exclaimed. She then turned back towards Elsa dn beamed. "Thank you Q-Queen Elsa," she added, stumbling over her words a little.

"What are you going to name this one?" she asked the child.

"I'm going to call him Sir Bearrington!" Synnöve announced happily.

"And what will you call yours, Robin?" Rapunzel asked her son, walking over with him to the others. The boy climbed back into his father's lap and thought long and hard whilst clutching the bear until finally he thought of a name and looked back up at her.

"Little John."

* * *

The family gathered together for lunch, Anna having gone to fetch her brother and they settled into easy conversation at the table. Synnöve had deposited Sir Bearrington on her bed for later but it was clear that Robin wasn't going to let Little John out of his sight. He ate with the toy sitting on his lap much to the amusement of his parents. They were all listening to Rapunzel's retelling her morning with Elsa, minus the bits about Anna and Vivienne while they were all enjoying a slice of pie. The brunette was just not so subtly hinting that Kristoff should give her another tour of the town, much to Elsa's amusement when Kai entered the dining room and swiftly approached the head of the table. Leaning down he whispered something to Elsa. The queen's brows rose in alarm and then she nodded, quietly pushing out her chair. The others looked up and she addressed them hastily.

"It seems the Duke has arrived," Elsa said before turning to exit. "I'll be taking my leave now and I'll regroup with you later in the evening," she added before sweeping out the door with her butler in tow. Rapunzel furrowed her brow and she and Eugene shared a look.

"Curious. Iwan would have sent a letter ahead of him, wouldn't he?" the former asked to which his wife nodded.

"Yes. It's formality. He wasn't trying to surprise her like we were," she added.

Elsa seemed to be thinking almost exactly the same as she and Kai walked step and step together back through the corridors and into the foyer. "Why did no one alert me that the ship had docked?" she asked, looking to Kai.

"My apologies Elsa. I was unaware myself," Kai replied.

"If no one knew, how has he arrived? Surely not on foot?," Elsa asked incredulously as they approached the doors. "No, we'd have sent a carriage for h-"

The doorman swung it open for them and Elsa let out a small gasp, nearly stumbling at the sight before her. Kai moved to steady his queen before too looking up only to be stunned. Instead of a carriage or even a Duke on foot, they were met by a woman riding side saddle, a sun umbrella perched on her shoulder. She looked up from under her sun hat and her plump, red lips spread into a beautiful smile, grey eyes brightening at the sight of Elsa. The queen was stunned to silence as a guard assisted the woman in dismounting the horse though she was clearly capable of doing so herself. The woman removed her hat and swept her long auburn hair to the side. Handing her umbrella to the confused guard, the woman finally approached Elsa and curtseyed before her. "It's so nice to see you again Your Majesty," she greeted in her rich, husky voice.

Elsa cleared her throat as the woman righted herself. Slowly, the queen extended her hand to her and the woman leaned in to kiss her cheek. "A-and the same to you, Duchess Dorothea..."

* * *

 **AN:** Okay so some people were getting a little worried about Vivienne and PMing me about her so I decided to nip that in the butt as soon as possible. She was never supposed to be a real threat, at least not in the way the Duchess is :D


	10. Chapter 10

_It'd been nearly a year since Elsa had Anna expelled from the castle and it went back to how it had been before they'd met. Inside the castle was cold and dark, the gates remained shut and the courtyard empty, void of the children that had regularly played there. Elsa was seated at her desk in her study, pouring over yet another missive. The breakup didn't affect Elsa's ability to rule by pen at all. In fact, she seemed to up productivity ever since. Her body however was suffering as a result of all the extra work. She was thinning, refusing nearly all meals, and barely sleeping. Gerda had caught the queen sleeping at her desk more than once but whenever she woke her to retire to her bed, Elsa would just pick up her work where she left off. Eventually Gerda stopped waking her; sleeping at her desk was better than no sleep at all. The only time she seemed to relax was in the dead of the night when the kingdom was mostly asleep. Sometimes the maids would catch a glimpse of their reclusive queen outside, perched on the roof. They didn't dare say anything about it though._

 _Gerda gently knocked on the study door that day, receiving a gentle grunt in response. She knew it was Gerda; it was always Gerda. The maid brought over a steaming cup of tea, the scent filling the room. It wafted up to Elsa's nose before Gerda even reached the desk causing her to look up, a few strands of hair falling into her face at the motion._

" _What kind?" she asked, peering at the cup Gerda set down in front of her. The scent was unfamiliar but it was enticing._

" _It's a Coronan blend," Gerda replied as she reached forward, tucking the queen's hair back behind her ear. It had been thrown into a simple ponytail and it was clear Elsa neither wanted nor expected any guests._

" _From Rapunzel?" Elsa asked, looking up at Gerda. The maid shook her head and extended a note to her with her other hand._

" _This came with the tea," she supplied, with a small smile. Elsa took the note and read through the neat cursive carefully. It read:_

It has come to my attention that a fair maiden sits atop her tower all alone, nose to the sky.

Stargazing is an activity one should partake in with another.

Care to accompany my telescope and I up the North Mountain for a closer look?

 _Elsa furrowed her brow and then turned the note over. On the back, were only the initials DT. "How did you receive this?" she asked, rereading the note again._

" _By courier. Professional too. Not just any lad with a satchel looking for coin," Gerda replied. Elsa felt herself pout; she hadn't the slightest idea who this DT was but apparently they were close enough to know Elsa liked to stargaze when she couldn't sleep and her hand cramped after too much work. She'd lift herself up to the roof of the castle with her magic and then turn her eyes to the sky. Searching; entirely unsure of what she was looking for._

" _Did someone sample the tea?" Elsa inquired, setting the note aside and turning her attention to the cup. Gerda raised her brow at her as if to say 'Really?' and that brought the barest of smiles to Elsa's somber face. "Of course you had someone taste it else it would not be set before me," the queen said, lifting the cup to her lips. She took a sip and her eyes fell shut at the rich flavor. She'd never tasted it before so the plant it was brewed from must have originated from Corona. "It's exquisite."_

" _Hmm yes. Lars seemed to think so. He finished the cup and reused the same leaves," Gerda chuckled referring to Elsa's taster. "So...Will you respond?"_

" _How can I? I haven't the slightest clue who sent it," Elsa replied, pulling the cup from her lips but not setting it down. "This DT is very bold."_

" _They certainly captured your attention though," Gerda stated, looking at Elsa intently._

" _That they did..."_

* * *

"Duchess Dorothea Tully?" Kai asked incredulously, even lowering his glasses a bit to make sure he was seeing who he thought he was seeing.

"It's lovely to see you again Kai," Dorothea greeted him. The butler, much like his queen was also stunned to silence but he nonetheless dropped into a slow bow. The brunette then turned her eyes back towards Elsa who was still staring owlishly at the woman before her, heart hammering in her chest.

"Dorothea I-Pardon me please but what are you doing here? I was expecting-" Elsa was cut off by a light chuckle.

"You were expecting Iwan?" Dorothea asked, tilting her head to the side and smiling knowingly at the queen. Elsa swallowed as she looked up into the grey eyes she never thought she'd see again.

"Yes in fact, I was. What is the meaning of this?" Elsa asked with little conviction in her voice.

"Why I've come in his place, as you can see," Dorothea replied as if it were the simplest of things. "My brother took ill just after the Queen and Prince Consort left for Arendelle. I've come in his stead."

"Your b-brother?"

"Iwan? Yes of course!"

"But Iwan is a Norfork."

"Indeed he is. That was _his_ father's surname. Tully is my father's," Dorothea explained patiently, the smile never leaving her lips. She watched as the wheels turned in Elsa's head, trying to understand just how this could have happened and she reveled in it. She'd always loved getting under Elsa's skin, seeing what made the queen tick.

"Of course...Duchess I apologize for keeping you outside..." Elsa trailed off, turning to usher her inside. Still her heart hammered in her chest and her free hand twisted and flexed as she was unable to wring her fingers together with the others. "Please follow me and I will show you to your rooms. Would you prefer to begin discussion in the morning?" The duchess seemed to think on it as she watched Elsa awkwardly lead her through the castle. Something was clearly wearing on the queen's mind.

"We shall begin tomorrow but please do tell me dear, is something troubling you?" Dorothea asked, placing a hand on Elsa's shoulder. "Am I interrupting your time with your beloved cousin?" Elsa bit her lip and turned around to face her but found her words stuck in her throat as she looked at the beautiful woman again. Dorothea was a head taller than her and buxom, filling out her dress very well. She was clad in a lavender princess cut dress with a daring, low neckline that certainly drew attention but not enough to cause a fuss over. Her dark brown tresses were pulled to one side, falling over one shoulder and her smoldering grey eyes pierced Elsa, pinning her in her spot. Dorothea was honestly a sight to behold.

*1"Tu attraperas des mouches, chérie," Dorothea whispered, leaning in towards Elsa's ears. At Elsa's sudden blush, the duchess chuckled behind a hand. The queen cleared her throat, realising she'd been caught staring and quickly refocused.

"I-Yes. I have guests, my cousin and her family aside," Elsa finally replied. "Their home is in need of repairs and they are staying with me for the duration," she added, turning to walk again.

"Repairs? Do you house every subject within the castle without a home?" Dorothea asked, arching a perfect brow.

"No," Elsa simply replied. "But this is a...special exception."

"I see. Well I'll do my best to keep out of the way but do tell me darling, how have you been?" the duchess inquired.

"The last few days have been the most stressful of my life, that is certain..." Elsa muttered under her breath. Dorothea arched her brow, humming as if to say _go on_. "Some things have...happened since we last-" She searched for the right word. "-spoke." Elsa then paused, taking into consideration Dorothea's affinity for gossip. She'd never told anyone anything particularly sensitive about Elsa when they were together but the duchess always seemed to know a little too much about _everything_. She could play the game very well. "They are of the personal sort," Elsa stressed. The Duchess would figure out Anna and Synnöve by the end of the night if someone didn't tell her within the hour, Elsa was sure but that didn't mean she would be so forthright with the information.

To Elsa's surprise, the duchess just gave a nod and quietly followed after her. The queen lead her through a length of corridors and then stopped in front of the bed chambers she'd had prepared. Elsa pressed the doors open to reveal a tidy, well decorated room bathed in reds and browns and yellows. If Elsa remembered correctly, Dorothea preferred whites and purples and blues. "I apologize for the more masculine setting. I was expecting your brother. If you'd like, I'll have Gerda and the girls prepare another room for you," she suggested, turning to face to the duchess. Her mouth clamped shut however at the sight of the other woman. Dorothea was staring at Elsa intently, looking her up and down. "Duch-?"

"You look very good Elsa," Dorothea stated suddenly, lifting a hand to her elbow and the other to her chin. "I'm a tad bit interested and worried about that sling around your arm. I'm sure there's a story there but that aside, there's something about you...Something has changed and I'm inclined to believe it has little to do with the kingdom." Elsa was at a total loss for words.

"I have no idea what you mean," Elsa replied quietly, eyes drifting anywhere but the woman in front of her.

"You aren't wearing your gloves."

"What?" Elsa asked dumbly, glancing down at her left hand. Panic coursed through her when she realised that Dorothea was correct; she wasn't wearing her gloves. She'd gone out with her cousin into the _town_ without them and she hadn't even noticed. "I can't believe I did that..."

"That's good, is it not?" Dorothea asked, tilting her head to the side.

"N-no! That's not good at all! I should have been more careful. What if something happened while I was in town?" Elsa asked in a slightly panicked voice. She was staring at her bare hand, wondering how she could have left the castle walls without her gloves when a pair of soft hands enveloped hers. The queen looked up at Dorothea only to be met with a gentle smile.

"Has no one ever told you that your magic is beautiful?" she asked, raising a brow. Elsa blushed, recalling Anna saying the same thing. "Confidence is key darling."

"That's an easy statement from you," Elsa retorted, smiling slightly.

"But of course! I wasn't always so sure of myself. Once upon a time, I was a shy thing too," Dorothea replied with a chuckle.

"Duchess, I find that very hard to believe. You're simply always the focus in the room," Elsa replied as the other woman rubbed her palm.

"Oh but here, all they ever talk about is you darling." Dorothea laughed at the stunned look on Elsa's face so she elaborated. "They will openly look at me because I will openly look back at them but you are as frightening as you are beautiful. Ah, don't frown! That is not a bad thing. A queen should be loved and perhaps a bit feared." Elsa's shoulders relaxed a little as she thought about it. She was certainly an excellent queen and if her outing with Rapunzel earlier in the morning proved anything, her people did seem to love her more than fear her. Children were still respectfully docile around her but they smiled and waved when she passed by. Shopkeepers tried to shower them with gifts and the majority of the townsfolk stopped to wave hello but mostly stayed out of her way.

Years of training and lecturing from her father taught her that when faced with anyone outside the castle walls, she needed to keep her head high and her back straight. In retrospect she supposed she _could_ smile more while out and about but the sort of distant, locked expression she donned was something she'd also picked up from her father. The late king would keep an even face whenever they left the castle, never showing too much emotion. Elsa could recall practicing the very same face in the mirror when they returned home. Her mother caught her once scowling into her bedroom mirror and laughed, asking her what about her reflection made her so angry. Her late mother was the one who smiled outside the castle walls and she was radiant but she wasn't the one teaching Elsa how to one day rule.

"You're an excellent queen darling; no need to think too hard on it," Dorothea said softly, patting her hand. Elsa looked up at her and smiled, nodding a bit.

"Thank you..."

"Now! As for the room, a change won't be necessary. You know I'm not too picky," Dorothea said, gesturing around.

"I did always like that about you..." Elsa mumbled. "Duchess, you must be famished after your travels," she segwayed, drawing her hand back.

"Actually I'm quite sated. I arrived early this morning. I had the chance the explore your wonderful kingdom and eat my fill," Dorothea explained with a smirk. "Oh there's a baker in town that makes these little sweet buns. Delightful little things!"

"You've been in the kingdom since the early morning? Why did you not send word ahead?" Elsa asked incredulously.

*2"Chéri, tu sais que les chats viennent comme ils veulent," Dorothea said in jest, earning a look from the queen. The duchess rolled her eyes and continued. "Alright. Truth be told, I spied you and Queen Rapunzel out and about. I figured I could allow you a few hours to yourselves."

"You saw-Thank you," Elsa replied, genuinely stunned.

"But judging by the time, I probably still pulled you from lunch with your family. For that I apologize. Please, we'll conduct business tomorrow. Go enjoy the rest of the day with your family," Dorothea said before turning to the windows. She strode over to them and drew back the heavy curtains to see that her room overlooked the massive courtyard. "I'll keep myself busy for the rest of the night. I still remember the way to the observatory."

Elsa's cheeks colored at mention of the observatory she'd had installed shortly after meeting the duchess. Stargazing had always been something she was interested in from youth but when learning to become queen, one has little time for star charts and telescopes. It wasn't exactly an activity her father approved of. It wasn't until Dorothea took her up the North Mountain to where her ice castle still stood that she really allowed herself to enjoy the hobby. They set the telescope up on the balcony and watched until the sun was peeking up from the horizon. Gerda had quite the fit when Elsa returned that morning.

"Of course," Elsa replied, turning to leave the room. Slowly she walked back towards the foyer, heart hammering in her chest. She just couldn't understand how the duchess could come back to the castle so nonchalantly. It wasn't that Elsa was displeased with her appearance and it wasn't as though their breakup was messy but she honestly hadn't expected her to take it in stride.

"Queen Elsa?"

She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised though. Dorothea was a strangely confident woman. She cared little for gender roles and expectations and was sharp as a tack, always seeming to know something that someone else did not.

"Queen Elsa?"

She was disarmingly charming as well, especially to someone like Elsa who mostly dealt with people trying to suck up to her and impress her. While they were together, Dorothea set the pace and though her heart hadn't exactly been in it, Elsa was very content to follow for once.

"Qu-Queen Elsa?!"

So, it shouldn't have come as a shock to her that the duchess could get over a breakup so cleanly. Now it was just Elsa who was being awkward and overly cautious.

 **"MOMMY!"**

Elsa snapped out of her thoughts to realize that she'd brought herself back to the foyer and was just standing there, staring at the door. Turning her gaze down, she met the worried eyes of Synnöve staring back up at her. Too far gone to have even noticed what the girl had called her, she dropped to her knee to address her.

"I'm very sorry Sweetheart. What is it?"

"Is it time for my magic lesson?" Synnöve asked, suddenly beaming.

"Oh! Of course...Though, perhaps we should keep it inside this time. Let's practice in the western ballroom today," Elsa suggested, well aware of the view Dorothea had of the courtyard from her bedroom window. Synnöve simply nodded just happy to spend time with her. Elsa stood and took her hand and then she led the girl to the ballroom where she had too practiced her magic as a child. Synnöve hummed a song as she skipped alongside her, her singular braid bouncing with every step. Elsa briefly wondered how lucky she had to be to have ended up with a daughter so cheery and adorable. Nothing like her at all.

In a way, she was glad that she didn't get the chance to raise Synnöve herself because she wouldn't have been the same girl. Yes, Elsa was intelligent and graceful but that glint of joy in Synnöve's eye she saw every day was something she was sure she'd have ruined. On the other hand, the girl grew up with a lingering want to meet and know her other parent. It was undeniable that Elsa's very existence was more important to Synnöve than anyone had cared to notice. It made the queen frown as she glanced down at the little girl. Perhaps she'd have had it so much easier if Elsa weren't her parent at all; if she'd had a commoner for a father who could have been there for her.

Then, as if she could sense Elsa thinking about her, Synnöve looked up and shot her a brilliant smile.

Elsa took it back.

* * *

Rapunzel had developed a well of patience since she was crowned queen of Corona. So when Anna kept flitting around her, trying to talk to her about Elsa and failing to get the words out, she calmly waited for Anna to gather herself all the while watching her pace about her bedroom. Synnöve ran off to find Elsa for her next magic lesson and Eugene had taken Robin and subsequently, Little John out to the stables again to ride one of the mares together. Rapunzel offered to brush Anna's hair while they spoke and that eventually turned into this game of cat and mouse that the brunette was _desperately_ hoping would end. Rapunzel didn't want to pressure it out of her; Anna needed to address it herself.

"Rapunzel?" Anna piped up finally.

"Yes Anna," Rapunzel answered kindly, smiling at her. Anna bit her lip and ran her fingers through her freshly brushed hair. This had been the fourth time she'd stop to talk and Rapunzel was hoping this would be the one.

"C-Can I tell you something?"

"You can tell me anything," Rapunzel reassured truthfully.

"Look, it's just that-Well...Yesterday, Elsa and I...She kissed me! I-I mean I kissed back too. I didn't mean too! At least, not in the moment. I mean, of course I wanted to but I didn't. Not then, like that! That doesn't make any sense! Oh god..."

"Anna calm down. It's okay," Rapunzel said as she stood. She walked over to Anna and stopped her with a firm hand on her shoulder.

"It's not okay! I'm-I'm still so mad!" Anna exclaimed, shoving her head into her hands.

"I know. It must be difficult to deal with Elsa's betrayal even after all this ti-"

"No! That's not it…I'm not mad at her. I mean, I am but not really," Anna struggled, pausing to gather her thoughts. Rapunzel looked on in confusion as Anna took a calming breath.

"Anna?"

"I'm mad at myself for forgiving her. I've never stopped loving her, Rapunzel and I know that no one else will ever make me as happy as she did but I'm still so angry. Her being my-my…"

"Your what? Your true love?" Rapunzel supplemented.

"What? How did you know?"

"I've dabbled in true love's magic before. Little Synn wouldn't have come to be without it," Rapunzel replied with a giggle. "Besides, a blind man could see that the two of you are true loves."

"Yes but Elsa being my true love doesn't excuse what she did and in my head, I know that. But in my heart..."

"The heart is a powerful motivator Anna."

"The heart is stupid," Anna deadpanned. "It pounds when I see her, it stops when she smiles at me, it flutters when she touches me. It just isn't fair!" Anna stopped and tried to calm herself again, pulling back from Rapunzel's hold. "I'm angry that I've already forgiven her because I don't think she deserves it yet."

"Yet?"

"Yet."

"Then you've already decided in your mind that you want a future with Elsa?" Rapunzel asked hopefully, ducking to catch Anna's downcast gaze. Anna rolled her eyes but her pink cheeks and the smile teasing at the corner of her mouth spoke her true feelings. She'd longed to be in Elsa's arms again for years. Even in the heat of her anger, whenever she tucked herself into sleep at night in her brother's home, she tossed and turned, so unused to sleeping by herself anymore. Back then she could at least combat those feelings with anger though; Elsa wasn't around to smooth talk her way back into her heart.

It got a little easier when Synnöve finally arrived. Of course seeing Elsa's brilliant blue eyes staring back at her whenever she looked at Synnöve was jarring in the beginning but then they only added to the child's charm. When she turned three, she started sleeping alongside her mother and that most definitely helped Anna settle down. The joy she once felt being encapsulated by Elsa's arms she then felt whenever Synnöve burrowed herself into her abdomen. With her daughter, Anna was content at least but even she could see how she was screwing things up for her brother.

Kristoff was thirty three that year and still unmarried, claiming that his family was more important than some air-headed milkmaid. And of course Anna noticed just how close Vivienne was to her brother before she moved back and Anna had become the focus of their attention, effectively taking their focus off of one another. She couldn't help but think that had she still been with Elsa, everyone involved would be happier.

Synnöve would have grown up knowing who Elsa really was, Kristoff would have gone on to marry and start his own family, and Elsa wouldn't have been so dreary and moody. Of course Anna blamed the queen for her dismissal but it was hard not to blame herself the day Elsa stopped opening the castle courtyard to the public to ice skate in the afternoons. The kingdom's children were sorely disappointed and that struck Anna in the gut. It was reminiscent of the time when the late king and queen perished and the castle closed up, gates shut tightly. One mistake on Elsa's part had such a severe trickle down effect and Anna was sure she didn't realize just how much of her kingdom had been affected.

"I have," Anna replied, playing her fingers. Rapunzel took in her stance and pressed a bit.

"But?"

"But I need Elsa to be clear in her intentions."

"How?"

"If she wants me and especially Synnöve in her life, then she needs to fight for me."

* * *

In many ways, Duchess Dorothea Tully was very much like a feline. Bold but quiet, superior but flexible, cunning but charming, and very sensual. But much like a cat, she was terribly curious and Dorothea wielded knowledge like a knight would a sword. By no means did she wish to harm Elsa or her reputation but she did want to know why she'd taken a seemingly average family of common birth into her castle. She of course had heard of the destruction of the house beforehand; when anything to do with magic was afoot, word traveled particularly fast. No one seemed to be able to make much sense of what happened however. The townspeople seemed more concerned with boasting about the fact that they were there rather than retelling the actual story but Dorothea was intelligent enough to fill in bits of the pieces. She just couldn't figure out why Elsa had housed them though. She could have set them up in another establishment or paid their way through an inn but to take them into the castle?

She spent an hour or so on the window bench, overlooking the courtyard while the maids hurried about the room with her things. Dorothea insisted she'd deal with it later but to no avail as Elsa had instilled it in her staff to look after guests hand and foot. When she grew tired of the afternoon sun, she decided a stroll about the castle was in order. She could remember the way to the observatory well as she'd spent most of her time there but the sky was still bright.

"I wonder if I can find my way to the library without winding up in the Queen's Breakfast again," she murmured to herself, chuckling at the memory. The castle was more winding and spacious than she'd anticipated the first time around. Dorothea managed to find her way without issue however and soon she was pressing open the doors to Elsa's impressive library. To her delight, it had been expanded since she'd last been, noticing a set of new shelves. Wandering over to the new additions, she ran her fingers over the clean spines before selecting one near the top. Dorothea pulled it from the shelf then went to sit down on a chair in the center of the room. There was a table in front of it as well as several other plush chairs positioned around it.

She smiled fondly as she recalled her games of chess at the table with Elsa on nights that it rained. It was months into their relationship and Dorothea was beginning to feel the queen's distance or rather, her hesitance to take it any further. Elsa had only ever kissed her on the lips once, a short and sweet thing but there was nothing there. They didn't speak of it but they both understood it. Elsa was still hung up on whoever was there before and Dorothea treated Elsa like a flirtatious friend more than a lover. They went riding together, spent many nights in the observatory, read to one another, and danced together in the wide open ballroom; things that friends did. Perhaps they could have remained friends after they decided to end the charade but she figured Elsa couldn't handle the awkwardness so she went on her way quietly.

*3"Peut-être dans une autre vie, chérie..." Dorothea sighed before she turned the cover of the book and began to read.

That was how Synnöve found her nearly two hours later. The girl pressed open one of the doors gingerly then went in search of a hair ribbon she'd left behind from before. Anna had been playing with her hair and scratching her scalp so she took the ribbon out but the girl forgot to grab it after her mother braided it back. Dorothea was much too engrossed in her book to have heard the door but she did hear the light pitter patter of feet as Synnöve drew closer. Focus broken, she looked up just in time to meet Synnöve's eyes as she too took notice of her. Truly at a loss, Dorothea blinked owlishly, a million questions suddenly coming to mind. The first of course being, why did this girl have Elsa's eyes?

"Good afternoon," Dorothea greeted a second later, relaxing her features and settling down. Synnöve seemed to relax as well albeit slightly.

"G-good afternoon, my lady," she parroted, eyes dropping.

"Scouting for a book, my dear?" the duchess asked, leaning her head on her hand. Synnöve shook her head, swinging her braid.

"I'm looking for my hair ribbon. I think I left it in here," she replied, looking around again. "I'm always losing it."

"You should find it but perhaps you don't need it," Dorothea stated to which Synnöve cast her a curious look. "You look just fine with your hair braided down. It suits you."

"You think so?" Synnöve asked, reaching around to take a hold of it. She played with the end a bit and then let it go. However it didn't swing back around, instead laying on her shoulder much like Elsa's braid. Dorothea felt her brows raise as she found herself looking at miniature, version of her ex-lover. Granted the girl was strawberry blonde and she lacked Elsa's quiff but there was no mistaking the resemblance.

"My name is Dorothea Tully. May I know yours?" she asked the girl.

"Synnöve Bjorgman," the girl replied.

"Well Synnöve, do you mind if I help you look for your ribbon?" Dorothea asked, standing from her seat gracefully. Synnöve shook her head and the two of them split up, the girl in between the bookshelves and the duchess by the chairs. It only took her a few moments to shift the cushions on the chairs around and find the ribbon. "Synnöve, my dear?"

"Yes ma'am?" the child replied, popping out from behind a bookcase.

"I've found it here." When Synnöve approached, Dorothea looked at the ribbon then up at her braid. "Would you like me to fasten it to the end?"

"Oh, that would be wonderful," the girl replied with a bright smile. She spun around and allowed the duchess to quickly weave the ribbon around the end of her braid into a bow. "Thank you ma'am," she added once she was finished. Dorothea chuckled behind her hand and shook her head.

"My dear girl, please. Ma'am makes me feel so old. Just call me Dorothea," she told Synnöve, sweeping the girl's fringe to the side.

"Okay...Uhm, Dorothea? Can I ask why you're here?" Synnöve asked curiously.

"Curious one, aren't we?" At Synnöve's blush, she chuckled again. "It's alright dear. I'm quite curious myself. I've actually come from Corona for an audience with the queen. We've a bit of business to discuss."

"Oh! I thought she was meeting with a man," Synnöve replied, her face turning in confusion.

"She was. My brother, but he took ill and I came in his stead," Dorothea explained patiently.

"I wish I had a brother," Synnöve pouted adorably.

"Excuse me?" Dorothea asked with a chuckle.

"You have a brother, my momma has a brother and my friend Diana has a brother. I wish I had a big brother too. Diana's brother stops the other kids from picking on her..."

"Do other children pick on you?" Dorothea found herself asking.

"Yes. There's a boy in my class, Erich. He keeps pulling on my braids. I wish I had a brother so he could tell him to stop," Synnöve replied with a puff, crossing her arms. "Does your brother scare away bullies?" The duchess chuckled behind her hand and shrugged.

"I suppose not. Not anymore at least. Iwan would look out for me when we were small, yes but as soon as we were older, it was I looking out for him," Dorothea replied with a wink. "Girls can fight too."

Synnöve seemed to smile at that knowingly. "Momma told me it's impolite for girls to fight but one time, Mr. Nilsson tried to touch Momma without permission and she hit him. In the face!" The girl giggled at the memory mischievously.

"Well she sounds the fiery sort. Is your mother about?" Dorothea asked casually, feigning indifference. The girl said her mother had a brother so clearly it was not Elsa as she was an only child. There was no mistaking the resemblance to the Arendelle's however.

"Yes. I think Queen Rapunzel went with Momma to brush her hair," Synnöve replied, her face scrunching in thought. That caught the duchess off guard though. What was her queen doing brushing a common woman's hair? Of course Dorothea knew of Rapunzel's unorthodoxed upbringing and that she too was once common but this seemed a bit much. "Momma got hurt on her head so she can't brush it herself," the girl piped up, bringing Dorothea back from her thoughts. "Do you...want to meet Momma?"

"Of course, my dear. I'd love to meet anyone responsible for someone as sweet as you," Dorothea fired back with a smile. Synnöve beamed and took the duchess's hand at that, leading her out of the library. She treated Dorothea to an earful about her mother and her uncle along the way and by time they found Anna's room, Dorothea felt as though she knew the woman. Knocking gently on the door, Synnöve rocked back on her heels as she waited for approval, excited to introduce her mother to a new friend. The door swung open to reveal Rapunzel and the brunette smiled widely at the girl, not yet noticing Dorothea.

"Hey there Synn. All finished with Elsa?" she asked, reaching down to ruffle the girl's hair.

"Yes and then I went to the library to find my ribbon," Synnöve replied and Dorothea chose then to step forward, catching her queen's attention. "And then I made a new friend!"

"Dorothea?" Rapunzel asked, her brows raised in surprise.

"My queen," the duchess greeted, curtsying gracefully. Rapunzel stepped aside to allow the both of them inside and then she took Dorothea's hands in hers.

"Has your brother taken ill?" Rapunzel asked, knowing that that was most likely the reason she was here.

"He has; a fever. Nothing too alarming but he was unsuitable for travel by ship," Dorothea replied, frowning.

"I'll make certain to visit him when we return," Rapunzel said, squeezing her hands gently before letting them go.

"Queen Rapunzel?" Synnöve asked, looking up at her after a cursory glance about the room. "Where's Momma?"

"I'm here Sweet Pea," Anna replied, just emerging from the adjacent wash room. "I was just checking the bump," she elaborated. She then noticed that another woman was in the room and she looked to Rapunzel expectantly.

"Anna this is Dorothea Tully. She presides over a duchy in Corona," Rapunzel was quick to supply.

"Oh! Your grace," Anna greeted, dropping to a quick, awkward curtsy to which Dorothea inclined her head.

"Dorothea, this is Anna Bjorgman," Rapunzel seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing on, which of course the duchess noticed. "She and her family are staying with Elsa for a time."

"Of course. Queen Elsa did mention a family staying in the castle while their home was rebuilt. I'll try my best to stay out of the way," Dorothea replied.

"Nonsense," Rapunzel huffed, waving her comment off. "You're the one here on business."

"Elsa and I will begin tomorrow. I didn't want to get in the way of her time with her family today," Dorothea said, not realizing how that applied to nearly all of her guests. Rapunzel bit her lip gently at that as well; she was well aware of Dorothea and Elsa's former relationship.

"Anna? Why don't you go speak to Elsa about what we talked about while Dorothea and I catch up?" Rapunzel suggested suddenly. Anna looked up questioningly but she nodded.

"I should. Synn? Would you like to come with me?" Anna asked as she started for the door.

"No Momma. I want to go practice again," Synnöve replied, tailing after her out the door.

"Oh? Where will you be going?" Anna asked, glancing down at her.

"In the ballroom on the west side," the girl replied. Glancing back to make sure she was out of earshot of Dorothea, Synnöve continued. "Queen Elsa had us practice inside today."

"In the castle? Why?" Anna asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"I don't know but I don't mind. At least in the ballroom, no one can see me mess up!" Synnöve replied before sticking out her tongue and running off. Anna giggled as she watched the girl bounce around the corner and briefly wondered if that was how it would have been if she and Elsa had stayed together. If Synnöve would have spent her mornings with Anna learning to sew and sing only to eventually get distracted by the rose gardens and the horses then to run inside to Elsa so she could learn to rule only to then get distracted by her magic. Synnöve was an impossibly happy child but Anna just couldn't help but wonder if she could have been happier.

Coming to a stop in front of Elsa's study, Anna gently knocked on the door.

"Come in," Elsa chimed from behind the door. Anna pressed it open and spied the queen sitting at her desk, peering up from her papers in confusion. Elsa cocked a brow then set her quill down and leaned back in her seat a bit. "I thought I'd have to seek you out, to be honest. I was however allowing you some space for the time being," she stated evenly.

"We need to talk Elsa..." Anna said as she shut the door.

"And I'm willing to listen," Elsa replied with a nod. She shut her eyes and drew in a long breath and then gestured for Anna to sit on the settee in the middle of the room. Drawing herself up from her seat, she glided over to sit next to her. Anna clasped her hands together and looked anywhere but Elsa's face as she could feel the queen drilling holes into the side of her head.

"E-Elsa-" she began but Elsa stopped her there with a hand.

"No. Stop right there. You're angry with me; I can tell. Just say what you really want to say Anna. I love you. Please don't be afraid of me," she told Anna, finally catching her eye. Anna swallowed thickly but she nodded. Then suddenly Anna's hand flew up and Elsa's neck cracked as it turned with the force in which her face was met. Anna had struck her. Elsa's eyes went wide as white hot pain spread through her cheek. She slowly turned her head back towards Anna replacing her shock with an even look.

" _That_ was for cornering me yesterday," Anna heaved, finding a little conviction in her voice. She then schooled her expression and leaned over, kissing the cheek she'd just abused. "And that is for keeping your distance. I appreciate it."

"I suppose I deserved that," Elsa replied referring to the slap. It certainly stung and seeing as she was queen and quite literally no one in their right mind would ever dare to strike her unless they had a death wish, the pain was unfamiliar. Still she refrained from chilling her hand and putting it to her cheek. If that was how Anna saw fit to punish her, she'd allow the pain to linger.

"Yes. You did. You always asked me before..." Anna replied, clasping her hands together on her lap. When they were still together, no matter how small the kiss was, Elsa would ask permission. Aside from when they were intimate with one another, the queen was careful about it. Initially it was Elsa's way of formality, not wanting to do something Anna might not like but soon Anna found it endearing, relishing in the way the queen would move in to kiss her only to stop, pout and ask first.

"I apologize," Elsa spoke sincerely, her eyes softening as she looked at her. She then reached up and gently cupped Anna's cheek with her left hand, stroking her bottom lip with her thumb. She didn't want to but Anna's eyes fell shut as she soaked in the familiar feeling. She could feel Elsa draw closer and she held her breath. "May I?" Elsa asked close enough for her to feel the light puffs of breath while she spoke. It was positively intoxicating.

"N-No. You may not," Anna finally managed after a beat, regaining her control. She opened her eyes just in time to see the queen pull back, an almost satisfied look on her face. "As I said Elsa...We need to talk. Actually talk. No cornering. _No lies_ ," Anna added with a stern look.

"Speak then," Elsa shot back.

"You've been getting pretty close to Synn," Anna started and there was a sudden chill. Elsa's gaze sharpened just slightly but Anna knew her well enough to notice.

"I have."

"She's taken to you Elsa and that scares me."

"Why would that scare you?" Elsa asked almost exasperatedly. Anna felt a little bad for her but her daughter was ultimately more important than Elsa's feelings.

"If this-" Anna gestured between the two of them. "-doesn't work, she's going to be devastated. It won't just be my one broken heart; it'll be two."

"This? You are willing to try again?" Elsa asked hopefully.

"I'm willing to let you court me again. If we're going to do this, we're starting from the beginning," Anna deadpanned. "Elsa listen to me; I'm serious. I'm giving you one shot. Don't break my heart again." She looked into Elsa's eyes, searching for sincerity desperately. The queen glanced down and took Anna's hand in hers and she interlocked their fingers. Gently she drew Anna's hand up towards her face and kissed the back of her hand.

"You have my word."

* * *

*1 You'll catch flies, darling

*2 Darling you know cats come as they please

*3 Perhaps in another life, darling...

 **AN:** News Flash! I _really_ like drama and I _really_ like secrets and I am _soooo_ _not_ above using little Synnöve as a plot device :D


End file.
